Service Dogs
Guide dogs, signal dogs, and service dogs can be of enormous help to people with disabilities.
Related Ads
Need Professional Help? Talk to a Lawyer
Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
Guide dogs, signal dogs, and service dogs can be of enormous help to people with disabilities. They help with day-to-day tasks, increase mobility and independence, and serve as social ice-breakers with new acquaintances.
The law recognizes the value of trained service dogs by guaranteeing them access to public places and requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for their owners.
Service Dog Access to Housing, Workplaces, and Public Places
Federal law guarantees access to public places for people who have a disability and a service animal.
Employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees who need service dogs with them at work.
Guide dogs who help sight-impaired owners are the best-known canine helpers, but hearing and service dogs also are a boon to individuals with disabilities.
Landlords don't always know the law when it comes to service dogs--if you're a tenant, you may have to educate them.
Psychiatric services dogs are allowed in most public places, while emotional support animals are not.
Other Laws that Affect Service Dogs
The owners of assistance dogs may be exempt from local regulations that affect other dog owners.
Limited public benefits and tax deductions are available to some service dog owners.
Resources
Every Dog's Legal Guide
Nolo's book has a comprehensive chapter on assistance dogs, including information on access and housing issues, exemptions from regulations, public assistance, and more.
Nolo's book has a comprehensive chapter on assistance dogs, including information on access and housing issues, exemptions from regulations, public assistance, and more.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Find us on Google+
Watch us on YouTube
Listen to us on iTunes