FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

According to the ADA, "Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA."

Service dogs are dogs that are task trained to mitigate one individual handler's disability. They may go into stores with their hander, attend their doctor's appointments, and generally live life alongside their partner. Emotional support dogs are pets prescribed by a therapist or psychiatrist. They are not trained to do any specific action to mitigate a disability, but rather broadly provide comfort in ones home. They are not permitted public access, but may live in non pet friendly housing. Finally, therapy dogs are dogs that comfort many people. They have no special housing or public access rights, but are highly trained. They may be invited to visit hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to put a smile on people's faces.

Do you meet this definition: "A person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities"?

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Yes: You may qualify for a service dog! If a dog can help you with your disability through trained actions, then a service dog could be an option for you.

No: You cannot have a service dog. We understand that access to living and traveling with pet dogs is getting harder! However, only people with disabilities qualify for service dogs.

This is more complicated!

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Is your dog physically healthy, able, and mentally sound?

If yes, maybe! If no, the dog isn’t right for the job. Service dog work is demanding-- for you wellbeing and your dog’s, we recommend health clearances before beginning your service dog journey.

Would your dog enjoy being around many different kinds of people, other dogs, new environments, etc.?

If yes, then maybe! If no, It depends. Service dog work requires that a dog tolerate these obstacles. Pause here, and considering working with a trainer or checking out our free training resources. Some dogs can learn to enjoy this type of stimuli with the right support. Others may never enjoy the job.

Can your dog learn a trained “task” (ie: kind of work) that will assist with your disability?

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If yes, then maybe! A service dog must be trained to take specific action to help their handler. Dogs can be trained in many different kinds of actions that can help-- Check out our growing training resources. However, if for some reason your dog cannot learn a trained task, they cannot be a service dog.

 

If...

1) You are disabled

2) Your dog is physically/mentally healthy

3) Your dog seems like they would enjoy the work

4) You can train your dog to perform an action to assist your disability...

Your dog might be able to be your service dog! But remember that service dogs are...

• Highly trained

• Under control in public

• Nondisruptive

• Perform tasks to assist a disability

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All of these conditions must be met for a dog to be a service dog.

Training!

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Training is the one distinguishing factor that differentiates a service dog from a pet. You can do this training yourself, if you have the skills and means to do so. However, this can be a difficult undertaking. Check out our library of free training resources to get you started.

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Alternatively, many owner trainers consider help from a professional trainer instrumental to their success. Check out our list of vetted trainers:​​​

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COMING SOON

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In the United States of America, there is no such thing! According to the Department of Justice, "Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry. There are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal."

Again, according to the ADA, "These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal." Unfortunately, these online registrations are scams. Presenting your registration card to businesses within the US deeply harms other service dog teams who are following the laws. It also strips you of your rights--- Does any other marginalized group have to show an ID to go grocery shopping? Then why should disabled people? You, and all of your disabled peers, deserve better than that!

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The only thing that can make your dog a service dog is training.

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What should you do with that ID Card? Our suggestion is to burn it.

"A service animal must be under the control of its handler. Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of tasks. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls." If these conditions are not met, a business is legally allowed to ask that the dog be removed (though they must still provide services to the human, in absence of the dog).

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• Staff may ask two questions

  • (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability The answer should be yes)

  • (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. 

It is important to note that, "Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog."

The Fair Housing Act requires a housing provider to allow a reasonable accommodation involving an assistance animal in situations that meet all the following conditions:

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• A request was made to the housing provider by or for a person with a disability

• The request was supported by reliable disability-related information, if the disability and the disability-related need for the animal were not apparent and the housing provider requested such information" (ie: A landlord can request a letter from a healthcare provider with whom you have an ongoing relationship attesting to the fact that you are disabled).

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Landlords may deny a service animal accommodation in the event that:

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• Granting the request would impose an undue financial and administrative burden on the housing provider

  • The request would fundamentally alter the essential nature of the housing provider’s operations

  • The specific assistance animal in question would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the threat

  • The request would result in significant physical damage to the property of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the physical damage

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Only landlords that rent more than four units are subject to the FHA-- If they rent fewer than that number of units, they may decide not to accommodate you (and it would be legal under the current US laws).

Title I of the ADA covers employment.  Under Title I, service animals are considered a reasonable accommodation. An employee must request that the service animal be present as an accommodation for their disability.

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A reasonable accommodation is any change to the application or hiring process, to the job, to the way the job is done, or the work environment that allows a person with a disability who is qualified for the job to perform the essential functions of that job and enjoy equal employment opportunities. In order to determine what is reasonable, an employer must look at the request made by the applicant or employee with a disability.  Whether or not an accommodation is reasonable will vary according to the position the employee holds, the way their disability affects their ability to do their job, and the environment that they work in.  Accommodations are considered “reasonable” if they do not create an undue hardship or a direct threat.​

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