Swedish furniture retailer Ikea has introduced “dog parking bays” at its Köln-Am Butzweilerhof store in Germany.

The tongue-in-cheek initiative enables dogs to be safely left outside while their owners shop.

The bays include platforms covered in green Astroturf and a water bowl for the canines.

Since the store has a no-pets policy – excepting guide dogs for the blind – the idea is designed to stop dog owners worrying about leaving their pet alone.

The dogs can remain comfortable for the duration of their owners’ shop and the bays provide an alternative to keeping them in hot cars, which is a known risk.

Story sourced from Springwise.