Assistance animals serve an important purpose and you see them everywhere these days: airports, hospitals, restaurants, etc. But did you know that there are actually three types of “helper” animals? Each type serves a distinct purpose, and the laws and regulations governing them varies.
Most assistance dogs fall into one of these three categories: Service Dog, Emotional Support Dog, or Therapy Dog.
Service dogs are professionally trained to aid individuals with various disabilities such as blindness. When they are working they usually wear a vest that identifies them to restaurant or store staff.
An emotional support dog is a medically prescribed animal who provides companionship as a method of therapeutic support, and therapy dogs are used in libraries, hospitals and traumatic settings as an alternative type of treatment to comfort or boost morale of people in need.
Not all assistance dogs share the same legal standing according to Orvis.com. Services dogs have universal access to public settings under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Dogs who provide emotional support are governed under the Fair Housing Act (as well as various state and local laws), and therapy dogs have no legal access protection.
How do you know if a dog presented as an assistance animals is legit? Only school administrators, landlords and airline staff can legally inquire about an emotional service dog’s status, while any member of the public can inquire about a therapy dog’s purpose.
When it comes to service dogs, the law stipulates that only two questions can be asked about its status: does it provide a service, and, what is it trained to do?
So, where are the various types of dogs legally allowed? Service dogs are allowed in all public areas, but religious institutions are exempt from ADA law. Emotional support dogs are allowed access in schools, homes and airlines. Therapy and emotional support dogs are allowed in restaurants when given special permission, service dogs are allowed access by law.
Related: How to Crate Train Your Dog
Any type of animal can serve as a therapy or emotional support animal, while only dogs (any size or breed) are allowed to be service animals.
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While the dogs enjoy various legal standings and protections, that doesn’t mean they can misbehave without repercussions: by law service dogs, “must not cause a disruption in public.”
All three types of dogs are subject to normal vaccination and licensing rules, and in most circumstances are required to be restrained or leashed.
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Thank you, this clears up some issues my friend has encountered with her support dog recently. I sent this to her immediately.
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