September is National Service Dog Month, so it’s a good time to learn more about the important role that service dogs play in the lives of people with disabilities.
You may see a service dog accompanying someone at a store, restaurant, workplace, or other public place.
Understanding what these dogs do and how to behave when you encounter a service dog and handler can help you interact with the duo respectfully.
What Exactly Is a Service Dog?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
The work or tasks the dog performs must be directly related to that person’s disability.¹
Service dogs can be trained to perform many different tasks.
A dog may guide someone who is blind or has low vision, alert someone who is deaf or hard of hearing to important sounds, retrieve items and provide certain types of mobility assistance for someone with a physical impairment, or take a specific action to assist a person during a disability-related event, such as a seizure or low blood sugar.
Psychiatric service dogs are also recognized under the ADA when they are trained to perform a specific task related to a person’s disability.
This is an important distinction between a service dog and an emotional support animal.
While an emotional support animal may provide comfort through their presence, that alone does not meet the ADA definition of a service animal.
What Happens When a Service Dog Isn’t Working?
Service dogs perform important jobs, but they are still dogs.
Outside of their work, they need appropriate opportunities for rest, exercise, play, and other normal dog activities.
Exactly what that looks like will vary from one service dog and handler to another.
And while you may often see a service dog wearing a vest or harness, don’t assume the gear is what identifies the dog as a service animal.
The ADA does not require service dogs to wear a vest, ID tag, patch, or specific type of harness.
What Should You Do When You See a Service Dog?
The simplest rule is to interact with the handler, not the dog.
When a service dog is working, avoid petting, calling, or otherwise trying to get the dog’s attention without the handler’s permission. Even a friendly interaction can distract a dog from the work they are there to do.
It’s also helpful to give the dog and handler enough room to move comfortably through doorways, aisles, elevators, and other shared spaces.
And remember that you may not be able to tell what a service dog does simply by looking at the handler.
Not every disability is visible, and service dogs can be trained to perform many different types of tasks.
What Does the ADA Say About Service Dogs in Public?
Knowing a few basic ADA rules can help everyone better understand why service dogs may be present in places where pets normally aren’t allowed.
In general, people with disabilities must be permitted to bring their service dogs into areas where members of the public are allowed.
Service dogs must remain under the handler’s control.¹
When it isn’t obvious that a dog is a service animal, staff at a business or other covered entity may ask only two questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Staff may not ask about the nature of the person’s disability, request documentation for the dog, or require the dog to demonstrate the work or task it has been trained to perform.¹
It’s also important to know that the ADA does not require service dogs to be certified or registered as service animals.
Online certificates or registration documents do not provide proof that a dog is a service animal under the ADA.¹
These are federal ADA guidelines. State and local laws may provide additional provisions, including rules that apply to service animals in training.
A Little Understanding Goes a Long Way
You don’t need to know why someone has a service dog or what their disability may be to treat a service dog team with respect.
Giving the team space, directing your attention to the handler rather than the dog, and understanding a few basic ADA rules can make everyday interactions easier for everyone.
Service dogs are trained to perform specific work for people with disabilities.
Knowing what that means and allowing them to do that work without unnecessary distraction is one simple way we can respect the partnership between a service dog and handler.
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Reference
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.
