Pet store Bark If You’re Dirty pays $340,000 to settle sexual harassment lawsuit

An Arizona pet store has agreed to pay $340,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by female employees who said they were sexually harassed.

The settlement came after allegations of sexual harassment were investigated at both Bark If You’re Dirty locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale.

Female employees at Bark If You’re Dirty are complaining about sexual harassment by male employees. Following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the company – formerly known as Wag ‘n Wash – agreed to pay compensation to the women who filed the complaints.

Syreeta Tyrell, an attorney who handled the case, detailed the actions of a male employee at the Phoenix location.

“He often targeted very young women in a way that seemed predatory. These women are often fresh out of high school or in their early 20s,” Tyrell said.

According to the commission: “The sexual harassment included inappropriate sexual comments about female employees and customers, physical touching of female employees without their consent, sexual advances toward female employees, and even showing nude photographs of female employees. Female employees complained about this harassment to management at both stores on multiple occasions over several years. … The EEOC also alleged that Bark If You’re Dirty retaliated against certain female employees by firing them after they complained about the sexual harassment. Other female employees were forced to leave their employment with the company because they were severely affected by the sexual harassment they experienced and were left vulnerable by management’s inaction.”

The EEOC announced the settlement in a press release on Friday morning.

“Women want to be able to work without having their bodies monitored, and we want to ensure that workplaces continue to create spaces for respect and inclusivity,” Tyrell said.