Taking your dog to cafés, shops and public transport

Key rules

• Venue decides: Cafés, bars and shops choose whether to admit dogs, and should show their policy at the entrance.
• Food areas: Dogs are never allowed where food is prepared or handled, which is why food shops usually say no.
• Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs must be admitted to public places, and they travel free on public transport.
• Transport: Each operator sets its own carrier, size and muzzle rules, so check before you travel.

Who decides whether your dog can come in

Mostly the venue decides. No rule forces a bar, café or shop to admit your dog, and none forbids it, except in places where food is handled. Regional animal-welfare laws and food-hygiene rules set the outer limits. Within them, each owner chooses. Transport companies set their own rules for carriers, size and muzzles.

Rules differ by region, so check the law where you live if a venue refuses you or you are unsure.

Cafés and restaurants

Terraces are the easiest. Dogs are widely accepted outside, and often not welcome indoors, though many cafés let small dogs in.

• Look for a sign or sticker at the entrance. Venues that admit dogs are expected to show this clearly.
• If there is no sign, ask the staff before you sit down.
• Keep your dog on a lead and under the table.
• Food preparation areas are always off limits to animals.

Supermarkets and shops

Supermarkets and food shops normally ban dogs, because food-hygiene rules prohibit animals where food is handled. Many non-food shops allow them, and so do some bars. Look for a sign, or ask at the door. Leave your dog outside only if you can do so safely and the venue allows it. Never leave it tied up for long.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs must be admitted, including to supermarkets and restaurants. Venues cannot refuse them on hygiene grounds.

Metro, bus, tram and train

Each operator sets its own rules and prices, so check the operator's website or ask at the station before your first trip.

• Small pets in a carrier are generally allowed on metro, bus and tram.
• Larger dogs are allowed on some city networks, on a lead and muzzle, and sometimes only at certain hours.
• Renfe trains allow small pets in a carrier up to a size limit on most services. Some dogs may travel on Cercanías and Media Distancia on a lead and muzzle. Long-distance trains require a pet ticket.
• Assistance dogs travel free.

Large dogs are the hardest case. Plan to use a muzzle and lead, and check the route's rules in advance.

The questions below cover the most common situations.

Frequently asked questions

Can an assistance dog go into a supermarket or restaurant?

Yes, an assistance dog has a legal right to enter all public places, including supermarkets and restaurants, even where other dogs are banned. The venue cannot refuse it because of food-hygiene rules.

What should I do if a café has no sign about dogs?

Ask the staff before you sit down, because the owner decides whether to admit dogs. Many venues put up a sign or sticker when dogs are welcome.

Can I take a large dog on the metro, bus or train?

Sometimes, but it depends on the operator. Some urban networks allow larger dogs on a lead and muzzle, on some lines or at some hours, while small pets in carriers are generally allowed. Renfe allows some dogs on Cercanías and Media Distancia on a lead and muzzle, and long-distance trains need a pet ticket.

Why are dogs usually banned in food shops but not in other shops?

Food-hygiene rules prohibit animals where food is handled, so supermarkets and food shops normally ban dogs. Other shops and some bars set their own policy, and many admit dogs, so ask at the door.