Woolworths shoppers divided over this photo of dogs sitting in trolleys

Woolworths shoppers have been left divided after a pair of dogs caused a stir in a supermarket before being placed into trolleys - with their owner nowhere to be seen.

Customers at the grocery store in Ballina, on NSW's Far North Coast, reported the two Staffies 'tearing past' them in the aisles on Wednesday.

One local took a picture of the dogs after staff managed to subdue them and place them in trolleys while waiting for a council ranger to collect them.

While the pooches looked positively chuffed with their run-around, the image sparked debate about dogs being allowed in stores.

A number of social media users had issues with the hygiene of the dogs being placed in the trolleys.

'Hope those two trolleys got a good cleaning before being used again,' one user said.

'Fancy shopping and using these trolleys after these dogs have been in them,' a second wrote, adding it was 'disgusting'.

Others argued 'humans are more dirty than dogs' and the staff had instead found a creative way to handle the Staffies.

'I would much rather use a trolley after a dog has been in it than use a trolley after a putrid human,' a third user wrote.

Some locals even reported being at the shopping centre while the dogs were running amok.

'The Staffies went tearing past us with two staff members in hot pursuit,' a user wrote.

'They went up and down a few aisles before they were nabbed.'

Another said they 'saw them making a mad dash through the fair'.

A Woolworths spokesman previously said only certified assistance animals - such as seeing-eye dogs - are allowed in store.

'As per Australian law, customers who have a guide dog or registered companion pets are welcome in our stores,' he told Yahoo.

'However, we do not allow for everyday pets or animals to enter our stores.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Woolworths and Ballina Shire Council for comment.