Service Animals are protected under federal law by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which protects the handler’s rights to have their service animal accompany them anywhere the general public has access.

Some State and local laws also define service animal more broadly than the ADA does. Information about such laws can be obtained from the State attorney general’s office.

Service animals, as defined by American with Disabilities Act, are dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

Now, what does that actually mean?

We have broken down the definition into three parts to help better understand: disability, training, and tasks.

• Disability: An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
• According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), over 1 out of 4 (26% ~ 61 million) of adults in the United States have some type of disability who may benefit from the assistance of a Service Animal.
• Training: Service animals must always have basic obedience training. They should always behave in public and be under the control of the handler. In addition to the basic obedience training, a service animal must be trained (either by a professional trainer or the handler themselves) to perform a task, or an act of “service”, directly related to the handler’s disability.
• Tasks: The task(s) a service animal performs for its handler must be directly related to the disability.
• In conclusion, if you have a dog that has been trained (either by yourself or a professional) to provide assistance for your disability, then you may qualify to have a service animal.

• Can go anywhere public has access
• No county licensing fees
• Tax deductible
• Providing assistance to disabled handler
• Improving the handler’s self-esteem
• A Greater Feeling of Independence
• Flies with handler in cabin for free
• Lives with handler in housing for free
• Stays with handler in hotel for free

Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service dogs. When a person who is allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service dog must spend time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom or at a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility.

Yes. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service dog from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service dog be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.

Under ADA law any breed of dog can be considered a service dog.

Under the ADA, service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service dog’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.

There are only two questions you may be asked regarding your service dog:

1) is the dog a service dog required because of a disability

2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform.

Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.

Yes, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is covered under ADA Laws and as long as your service dog is able to calm you during an anxiety attack then he/she is considered a service dog.

No. Under the ADA, you are allowed to take your service dog virtually anywhere you are allowed to go. Your dog is not considered a “pet”. You are allowed to have your service dog with you in your apartment, restaurants, beaches, airplanes, etc., all without having to pay any extra fees or deposits.

Once your dog is considered a service dog you can take them with you anywhere the public has access to as long as they are not misbehaving.

No. You may not be asked for any medical documentation or to disclose your disability. A doctor’s letter may only be requested for an Emotional Support Animal

When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions:

• Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and
• What work or task has the dog been trained to perform.

Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. Doing so may be in violation of federal law.

Individuals who believe that they have been illegally denied access or service because they use service animals may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice. Individuals also have the right to file a private lawsuit in Federal court charging the entity with discrimination under the ADA.