Service Animals


Service animals are individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. Service animals may do such things as guide a person who is blind; pick up or fetch things for a person with a physical impairment; act as "medic alert" animals for people with seizure disorders, heart problems, or hearing impairments; or perform a variety of functions for people with psychiatric disabilities. Service animals are not pets; they are working animals.

As of March 15, 2011, the definition of a service animal under Title II (State and Local Government) and Title III (Public Accommodations) of  the ADA includes only dogs. These new rules also say, however, that public accommodations and government entities must make reasonable modification for miniature horses, as these are an alternative to service dogs.
No other types of animal, whether wild or domestic, are considered service animals under the ADA.

Service Animal Facts

  • Service animals do not have to have any kind of certification or identification, and by law they are not required to wear any type of vest or any other gear that identifies them as a service animal.
  • Any business that serves the public must allow service animals, regardless of any "no pets" policy that they may have.
  • The only questions a public entity may ask a service animal handler is:

1) Do you have a disability (a yes/no question)?
2) What tasks does the animal perform?
No one may ask, "What is your disability?"

  • Under the Fair Housing Act, service animals, as well as comfort or companion animals, must be allowed in multi-family rental buildings (i.e. an apartment), regardless of any "no pets" policy. Additionally, no pet deposit may be charged, even if one is normally charged for animals living in the establishment.
  • Service animal handlers can only be asked to remove their service animal from a place of public accommodation if the animal poses a direct threat (i.e. they bite someone, are dirty/have fleas, are disruptive for a reason unrelated to their task as a service animal).
  • Service animal handlers are responsible for cleaning up after their service animals.


The different state laws and federal laws seem to say different things. See our Service Animal Matrix with which we try to put these differences in perspective.
Service Animal Matrix

 DOT Service Animal Definition Differs From the ADA

Please see the following sources for more information on service animals:

Northwest ADA Center Service Animals: Frequently Asked Questions  PDF DOC
Delta Society: Service Animal Basics
Service Dog Central
Psychiatric Service Dog Society
DOJ: ADA Business Brief: Service Animals
DOJ: Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business
JAN: Service Animals as Workplace Accommodations
Easter Seals: Service Animals and Ground Transportation (pdf)