Are dogs allowed in Target?

Have you ever wondered if you could bring your pup with you on a Target run? Have you ever seen someone with a pup in their cart and thought that could be us? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you are probably wondering if dogs are allowed in Target.

For many of us, we already know that Service Animals are a known exception to many rules about dogs being inside of stores, restaurants, and other public building. But what about the regular Fido and Fifi out there who aren’t service or support dogs? Are they allowed in these places too?

In many cases, dogs are definitely not allowed in restaurants (there are pet friendly places, but most often those are patio dining options only) and no stores either. But what about Target?

Does Target have a pet policy of their own?

Can dogs shop with us at Target?

As of 2022, dogs are not allowed in Target stores. The only exception to this rule is Service Dogs. And there are six main categories of Service Dog allowed in the stores:

"Guide Dogs—To help blind or visually impaired people walk safely.Hearing Dogs— Who guide their deaf or hearing-impaired owners to navigate more easily.Medical Alert and Assist Dogs—Service dogs who sense and alert dangerous signs in case of diabetes or another measurable body symptom for other diseases.Psychiatric Service Dogs—This type of certified mental service dog will assist in cases of severe PTSD or Autism.Seizure Alert and Response Dogs—Seizure service dogs predict the episode and escort their owner to a safe place, as well as alert nearby individuals for assistance.Severe Allergy Alert Dogs—Highly trained animals to detect allergens before they are ingested by their owner."

The reason why our pups (who are not service animals) are not allowed in stores has a lot to do with the fact that so many Target locations offer groceries. And just like with restaurants and grocery stores, animals are not allowed due to “risk of contamination or animal bacterial transmission.”

This pet policy is the same no matter where you are in the country and while some stores may be stricter when it comes to enforcing these rules than others, it is clear that Target is not a pet-friendly stop when it comes to running those errands.

So while we can head to Target to grab dog food, dog treats, and other pet supplies, we won’t be able to bring Fido and Fifi with us when we do that.

Are you surprised that dogs are not allowed in stores? Have you ever brought a dog to shop with you? Are you more likely to shop somewhere when they have an open door policy that allows you to bring your dog with you?