SERVICE DOG

Under the federal law ADA (Americans Disability Act) both state and local governments, businesses and non-profit organizations that serve the public must allow service dogs and service animals and their handlers full access to their premises where the general public is allowed to go. This guideline certainly has some limits, for example a service animal will be allowed into a hospitals waiting room but not in the O.R. Or the service animal will be allowed into a restaurant but not the kitchen area where food is being prepared. The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) allows that a service dog may travel with its owner on an airplane. Prior to flying check with your airline regarding service dog details.

It is important that your service dog is in control and well behaved when in public places. Under the ADA guidelines, all service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered. In the event the harnesses or leashes interfere with the service animals work, like search and rescue or picking up items, then the animal can be unleashed but must be able to demonstrate control through signal, voice or other means of controlling animal.

Inquiries about your service animal can be limited to only two questions for access to a public area.

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog or service animal been trained to perform?

Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability. Allergies and the possible fear of dogs is not a valid reason for denying access. Any person with a service animal cannot be asked to leave the premises unless;

• the dog is out of control and the handler is unable to bring the dog under control.
• the animal is not house broken.
• if there is legitimate reasoning for having the animal leave the premises the person will still have the right to obtain goods or services without the animal being present.
• people with service animal cannot be isolated from other patrons because of the service animal.  Also if the business, like a hotel, normally charges damage deposits for pets they can’t charge this deposit for a service animal.

• Guide Dog
• Mobility Aid Dog
• Seizure Alert Dog
• PTSD Service Dog
• Hearing Alert Dog
• Diabetes Alert Dog
• Migraine Alert Dog
• Narcolepsy Alert Dog
• Seizure Response Dog
• Psychiatric Service Dog
• Narcolepsy Response Dog