A service animal is an animal that is trained to provide a service to assist an individual with a disability. Under the ADA, a service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.1 The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to sounds, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, turning switches on or off, assisting during a seizure, reminding a person to take medication, pressing an elevator button, or providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability. A crime deterrent provided by the animal’s presence or the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of meeting the definition of a service animal.2
Many people with disabilities use a service animal in order to fully participate in everyday life. Dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities. The ADA requires state and local government agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations that provide goods or services to the public to make “reasonable modifications” in their policies, practices, or procedures when necessary to accommodate people with disabilities.3 This includes courts and other state buildings. The service animal rules fall under this general principle. Accordingly, entities that have a “no pets” policy generally must modify the policy to allow service animals into their facilities.
- 128 C.F.R. § 35.104; see Civ. Rts. Div., U.S. Dep’t of Just., Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals and the ADA (July 20, 2015).
- 228 C.F.R. § 35.104.
- 3See Civ. Rts. Div., U.S. Dep’t of Just., Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals and the ADA (July 20, 2015).