The Commonwealth of Virginia has a state-wide mask mandate for safety during the Pandemic. Many companies have enforced strict "No Mask, No Entry" policies. Care-A-Lot Pet Supply does not enforce the mask mandate for customers despite having several high-risk employees. Workers have proposed several cost-free solutions, but the Vice President, Denise Clarke, has stated that there will be no policy changes.

Current policy is to offer a mask in case it was forgotten. If customers refuse, the only suggestion from HR is to have concerned employees hide in another part of the store. This allows unmasked persons to potentially spread infectious disease to everyone around them, through the air and through surface contamination. This leaves employees vulnerable and guests with unmet needs. Care-A-Lot employees don’t want to hide from customers. We want to help meet the needs of our human and non-human guests and to be able to do our jobs safely.

We are demanding the right to enforce the mask mandate for the safety of everyone, as the Governor has asked when he announced the executive order.  We are requesting explicit signage to announce the Zero-tolerance policy and to explain the alternative options (e.g. curbside deliver) for those unable or unwilling to wear a face mask. And we are asking for the right to exclusively require the use of alternative shopping options for those customers, as opposed to allowing them into the store.