Oregon Service Dog Laws

Definitions

(1) As used in this section:

(a) “Assistance animal” means a dog or other animal designated by administrative rule that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual.

(b) “Assistance animal trainee” means an animal that is undergoing a course of development and training to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual that directly relate to the disability of the individual.

O.R.S. 659A.143(6)(a)

Rights for pedestrians who are blind or blind and deaf.

“Dog guide” means a dog that is wearing a dog guide harness and is trained to lead or guide a person who is blind.

O.R.S. § 814.110

Accommodation Law

With exceptions, a place of public accommodation or of access to state government services, programs or activities may not deny a person with a disability or an assistance animal trainer the right to be accompanied by an assistance animal or assistance animal trainee in any area of the place that is open to the public or to business invitees

O.R.S. 659A.143(6)(a)

Harassment of/Interference with Service Dogs

Theft or attack on assistance animal:

A person with a physical impairment who uses an assistance animal may bring an action for economic and noneconomic damages against any person who steals or, without provocation, attacks the assistance animal (or against person who owns animal that attacks the assistance animal).

• If attack results in death or animal not returned, damages shall include replacement costs.
• If attack or theft results in injury and animal returns, damages shall include veterinary medical expenses, costs of temporary replacement assistance services.

R. S. § 346.687

Interfering with assistance or therapy animal:

A person commits the crime of interfering with an assistance, a search and rescue or a therapy animal if the person intentionally or knowingly:

• injures or attempts to injure an animal the person knows or reasonably should know is an assistance animal, a search and rescue animal or a therapy animal
• interferes with an assistance animal while the assistance animal is being used to provide assistance to a person with a physical impairment
• interferes with a search and rescue animal or a therapy animal while the animal is being used for search and rescue or therapy purposes

Violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

R. S. § 167.352

Driving Law

The driver of a vehicle commits the offense of failure to stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian who is blind if the driver violates any of the following:

A driver approaching a pedestrian who is blind or blind and deaf, who is carrying a white cane or accompanied by a dog guide, and who is crossing or about to cross a roadway, shall stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has crossed the roadway.

Where the movement of vehicular traffic is regulated by traffic control devices, a driver approaching a pedestrian who is blind or blind and deaf shall stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has vacated the roadway if the pedestrian has entered the roadway and is carrying a white cane or is accompanied by a dog guide. This paragraph applies notwithstanding any other provisions of the vehicle code relating to traffic control devices.

Violation is a Class B Traffic violation

O.R.S. § 811.035

Licensing Law

A license fee is not required to be paid for any dog kept by a person who is blind and who uses the dog as a guide. A license shall be issued for such dog upon the filing by the person who is blind of an affidavit with the county showing that the dog qualifies for exemption.

R. S. § 609.100

Notwithstanding ORS 609.015 or 609.100, a county or city shall not charge a fee to license a dog used as an assistance animal as defined in section 2 of this 2013 Act

O.R.S. § 609.105