Definition- A service dog is: a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
-The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination. Disability rights are civil rights. From voting to parking, the ADA is a law that protects people with disabilities in many areas of public life.
-Can service dogs be any breed? A. Yes. The ADA does not restrict the type of dog breeds that can be service animals.
Service dogs are:
- -Any breed and any size of dog
- -Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability
Service dogs are not:
- -Required to be certified or go through a professional training program
- -Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates they’re a service dog
- -Emotional support or comfort dogs, because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability
Where Service Dogs Can Go
Generally, service dogs are allowed to be with their handler, even in places that don’t allow pets. For example, service dogs can go into:
- Restaurants
- Shops
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Hotels
EXAMPLE: A restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. A woman arrives at the restaurant with her service dog and asks to sit inside. The restaurant cannot require the woman to dine outside because of her service dog.
The ADA also applies to certain types of housing, including:
- Housing at public and private universities
- Public housing programs run by state, county, and city governments
- Emergency shelters
Asking if a Dog is a Service Animal
If you are working at a business or state/local government facility and it is unclear to you whether someone’s dog is a service dog, you may ask for certain information using two questions.
You may ask:
- -Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- -What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
You are not allowed to:
- -Request any documentation that the dog is registered, licensed, or certified as a service animal
- -Require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability
Please remember to "respect the vest" if a dog is working please don't call to them as it can distract the dog from their handler/s and can cause medical episodes. If the K9 misses an alert it can cause possibly deadly affects, all because you wanted to say hi to "the puppy."