Mississippi Service Dog Laws

Accommodation Law

Under Chapter 6 – Rights and Liabilities of Blind and Other Handicapped Persons:
Every totally or partially blind person and every deaf person shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog or hearing ear dog on a blaze orange leash, especially trained for the purpose.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-7

Violation of act results in fine not exceeding $100.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-11

Under Mississippi Support Animal Act:

Any blind person, mobility impaired person or hearing impaired person who uses a dog or other animal specifically trained as a guide, leader, listener or for any other assistance shall be entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of all public conveyances, hotels, lodging places, businesses open to the public.

Trainers of support dogs and other support animals shall have the same rights of accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges with support animals-in-training as those provided to blind, mobility impaired or hearing impaired persons with support animals under this section.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-155

Harassment of/Interference with Service Dogs

An individual shall not do either of the following to a dog that he or she knows or has reason to believe is a guide or leader dog for a blind individual, a hearing dog for a deaf or audibly impaired individual, a service dog for a physically limited individual, or a support dog for a mobility impaired person:

• Willfully and maliciouslyassault, beat, harass, injure, or attempt to assault, beat, harass or injure
• Willfully and maliciouslyimpede or interfere with, or attempt to impede or interfere with, duties performed

Violation is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

Miss. Code Ann. § 97-41-21

Driving Law

The driver of every vehicle approaching an intersection or crosswalk must take necessary precautions to avoid injuring or endangering a pedestrian guided by a guide dog.

Violation incurs a fine of not more than $25.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 10 days.

Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-1111