You might have seen many pet owners like yourself happily shopping with their pets at various retail stores. If this has inspired you to want to bring your dog to Target, there’s some information you need to know first.
To avoid humiliating yourself or causing an uproar by getting kicked out of the store, you want to be familiar with the pet policy guidelines of Target. You need to know: does Target allow dogs? What are the specific rules for bringing my dog to Target?
This article details everything you need to know for making a trip to Target with your furry friend.
Target’s Official Stance on Pets
Target is one of the biggest retail stores in the United States of America. It has a wide variety of products including clothing, accessories, food, electronics, shoes, and pet supplies.
Unlike some other retailers, Target is not a pet-friendly store and has a very strict pet policy. You are not allowed to go into the store with your cat, dog, lizard, or any other pet whether you carry them in travel bags or walk with them.
This policy is meant to prevent a situation in which your dog barks at customers, poops in the store, or tampers with the products. Also, many customers have dog allergies, and some children are scared of them. In a nutshell, Target frowns at the idea of you bringing animals into the building.
Nevertheless, ADA-approved service dogs are allowed to go into Target. If you are a service dog owner, then you are free to go into Target stores with your companion dog.
What Are Service Animals?
Service animals are animals that have received special dog training from professionals to help people who are disabled in some way.
These certified dogs are trained to provide support for people who have conditions in many different areas such as psychiatric, physical, intellectual, sensory, or cognitive functioning.
What Are the Types of Service Dogs Allowed in Target?
There are many types of service dogs, each trained to function differently. Every one of them brings specific advantages and assumes a significant role in the well-being of their human.
The list below details the types of service dogs according to Target’s official pet policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allowed into Target stores.
Guide Dogs
Guide dogs provide support to people who are blind by helping them move around safely.
Hearing Dogs
Deaf people require the skills of these service dogs. They make physical contact with people when they hear sounds like phone rings, fire alarms, doorbells, car horns, etc, and guide them to move towards or away from the source of these sounds.
Medical Alert and Assist Dogs
These service dogs help to detect and alert low blood sugar levels in diabetic patients and other quantifiable effects of various illnesses. They also help to administer medication to these people.
Psychiatric Service Dogs
Psychiatric-certified service dogs help people with mental disabilities to live and work like neurotypical individuals.
These dogs are adept at helping people with restlessness, autism, anxiety, and depression. They help to support these people mentally and remind them to administer their medication appropriately.
Seizure Alert and Response Dogs
Seizures can kill someone if there isn’t any immediate intervention. Convulsions can happen at any time and any place beyond the control of the patient. Seizure service dogs anticipate the episode and get other individuals in the vicinity for help.
Mobility Assistance Dogs
These dogs assist the handicapped to convey things or recover items. They also push wheelchairs on inclines and rough streets.
Allergy Alert Dogs
These service dogs are specifically trained to perceive allergens in food before it is eaten by their owners.
Frequently Asked Questions on Target’s Pet Policy
Why Does Target Give an Exception to Service Dogs in Their Policy?
Target does not allow you to bring most dogs into the building as pets are considered unhygienic, and many Targets serve food products. Additionally, many guests in stores have phobias and allergies that these pets can trigger.
However, service dog owners are given an exception to bring their service dogs into stores. This is because these dogs are necessary for the well-being of disabled customers.
Can Target Request Evidence Before Allowing Your Service Dog Into the Building?
Employees or workers at Target are not allowed to ask you to provide proof that your dog is a service dog. Nevertheless, they can ask you to clarify that your dog is a service dog and what functions it performs.
Is There Any Difference in Target’s Dog Policy in Different Locations?
According to the corporate policies of Target on dogs, the dog policy is the same in all locations. Regardless, workers at different Target stores may enforce this policy differently.
Conclusion
It has become a habit of many dog owners to bring their pets into stores while shopping. Target is not a dog-friendly retail store where anyone can bring their pet. It is therefore advised that you leave your dogs and other pets back at home while you shop at Target.
An exception has been made under a federal ordinance from the United States of America that allows service pets into stores and shopping malls.
So, does Target allow dogs? If your furry friend is a service animal that is necessary for your well-being, feel free to bring it into the store the next time you go shopping!