1Boy4Change Service Dog Information and Registered Teams 2024-25
Service Animals
Beginning on March 15, 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals under titles II and III of the (Americans with Disabilities Act) ADA.
How “Service Animal” Is Defined
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.
This definition does not affect or limit the broader definition of “assistance animal” under the Fair Housing Act or the broader definition of “service animal” under the Air Carrier Access Act.
Some State and local laws also define service animal more broadly than the ADA does. The law that gives the MOST protection to the service dog team is the law that takes precedence. Information about such laws can be obtained from the State Attorney General’s office.
Where Service Animals Are Allowed
Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. For example, in a hospital it would be inappropriate to exclude a service animal from areas such as patient rooms, clinics, cafeterias, or examination rooms. However, it may be appropriate to exclude a service animal from operating rooms or burn units where the animal’s presence may compromise a sterile environment.
Service Animals Must Be Under Control
Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
Inquiries, Exclusions, Charges, and Other Specific Rules Related to Service Animals
When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals. When a person who is allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service animal must spend time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom or at a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility.
A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.
Establishments that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises.
People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be isolated from other patrons, treated less favorably than other patrons, or charged fees that are not charged to other patrons without animals. In addition, if a business requires a deposit or fee to be paid by patrons with pets, it must waive the charge for service animals.
If a business such as a hotel normally charges guests for damage that they cause, a customer with a disability may also be charged for damage caused by himself or his service animal.
Staff is not required to provide care or food for a service animal.
For more information about the ADA, please visit our website or call our toll-free number.
ADA Website: www.ADA.gov
ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301 (Voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY)
1Boy4Change Registered Service Dog Teams - 2024
Zachary Harris, Service Dog Chima, Alabama
Zachary Harris, Service Dog In-Training Blue, Alabama
Teresa Harris, Service Dog In-Training Bravo, Alabama
Lynn Schneider, Service Dog Theodore Von Hall, Florida
Eileen Walker, Service Dog Sophia, Florida
Trina Daniel, Service Dog Kyra, Florida
Robert "Bob" Giles and Brenda Giles, Service Dog Valentine, Florida and Maine
Leslie King, Service Dog Kenzi, Florida
Evelyn Pear, Service Dog Heidi, Florida
Gordon Blanford, Service Dog Chase, Florida
Jeffrey Gabel, Service Dog Eze, Florida
Logan Mendres, Service Dog Chevy, Florida
Nicholas Sholty, Service Dog Dax, Florida
Arthur Holliday, Service Dog Bali, Florida
Patti Mehling, Service Dog In-Training, Cubby, Florida
Victoria Vinci, Service Dog Thor, Florida
Foye Walker, Service Dog Gus, Florida
Jim T (Thomas) Amason, Jr., Service Dog Koko, Florida
Brenda Giles and Robert "Bob" Giles, Service Dog Ms. Riggs, Florida and Maine
Aiden Finn, Service Dog In-Training Rooster, Georgia
Benjamen Gosset, Service Dog Kaos, Michigan
Jaime Hickey, Service Dog, Esme, New York
Linda Hickey, Service Dog Leo, New York
Ron McPherson, Service Dog Indy, North Carolina
Alyssa Reussow, Service Dog Piper, Texas
Zachary Harris, Service Dog In-Training Blue, Alabama
Teresa Harris, Service Dog In-Training Bravo, Alabama
Lynn Schneider, Service Dog Theodore Von Hall, Florida
Eileen Walker, Service Dog Sophia, Florida
Trina Daniel, Service Dog Kyra, Florida
Robert "Bob" Giles and Brenda Giles, Service Dog Valentine, Florida and Maine
Leslie King, Service Dog Kenzi, Florida
Evelyn Pear, Service Dog Heidi, Florida
Gordon Blanford, Service Dog Chase, Florida
Jeffrey Gabel, Service Dog Eze, Florida
Logan Mendres, Service Dog Chevy, Florida
Nicholas Sholty, Service Dog Dax, Florida
Arthur Holliday, Service Dog Bali, Florida
Patti Mehling, Service Dog In-Training, Cubby, Florida
Victoria Vinci, Service Dog Thor, Florida
Foye Walker, Service Dog Gus, Florida
Jim T (Thomas) Amason, Jr., Service Dog Koko, Florida
Brenda Giles and Robert "Bob" Giles, Service Dog Ms. Riggs, Florida and Maine
Aiden Finn, Service Dog In-Training Rooster, Georgia
Benjamen Gosset, Service Dog Kaos, Michigan
Jaime Hickey, Service Dog, Esme, New York
Linda Hickey, Service Dog Leo, New York
Ron McPherson, Service Dog Indy, North Carolina
Alyssa Reussow, Service Dog Piper, Texas