Big Department Stores Welcome All Service Dogs

Originially Published in 2007

Officials and managers of several national department store chains say that their policy is to welcome service dogs into their stores when they accompany people with epilepsy.

Target

"Target does allow animals regardless of what disability they might serve," said Kristin Jahnke, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based discount chain. Jahnke said that employees might raise the question of whether it was a service dog, but the person does not need to show documentation for the dog.

Sears

Jan Drummond, spokeswoman for Sears in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, echoed Jahnke's statements. "We certainly permit them in stores. That's not an issue for us. My understanding is that there isn't any signage in the stores, but it's part of the overall training and instruction that we give," she said. Drummond added that any effort to prevent people with epilepsy from bringing in service dogs might well be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 1990 legislation that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

Wal-Mart

Charlie Conner, manager of Wal-Mart in Jupiter, Florida, said that written notice welcoming service dogs is posted at the front door. "If it's obvious that it's a service dog, we have no problem allowing it in the store," he said.

Kmart

Derek Cresto, manager of the L-Street Kmart, Omaha, Nebraska, said his store also posts written notice and would not turn anyone away. He said, "In general, we wouldn't allow pets. But obviously if someone approached an employee and said, 'It's a special dog for my epileptic seizure', then there really wouldn't be an issue."