Service Dogs vs. Support Dogs

In the United States, there are three common assistance dogs–each of which have different jobs and legal protections. Due to misinformation and lack of proper education, support dogs are often illegally brought into non-pet-friendly establishments and have put the lives of both handlers and service dogs at risk. Fully trained service dogs (and miniature horses) are the only assistance animals that are federally permitted to accompany their handlers into non-pet-friendly establishments. Read on to learn about the differences between service dogs and support dogs.

 

SERVICE DOGS

Public Access → A service dog, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be specially trained to perform specific tasks to mitigate the disability of only one handler. Fully trained service dogs are federally protected under the ADA to accompany their handler to public establishments where any non-disabled individual may attend. While service dogs in training are NOT federally protected under the ADA, some states may grant additional rights to service dogs and service dogs in training, including allowing a disabled individual to train their service dog prospect in the same locations where service dogs are allowed to accompany their handler. In the United States, there is no federally recognized certification or registration for service dogs and covered entities may not request such documentation to determine the legitimacy of a service dog. Some states may require specific licensing for service dogs or service dogs in training if their handler wishes to exercise legal protection under state law; however, this is NOT mandatory if a handler chooses to only be protected under federal law for a fully task-trained service dog and forgo state protections.

Fair Housing Act → Service dogs are also protected under the Fair Housing Act to live with their handlers in non-pet-friendly housing, unless the landlord has less than four rentals and does not use a broker.

Air Carrier Access Act → Under the Air Carrier Access Act, service dogs may accompany their handler as medical equipment in the cabin of an airplane on flights.

 

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

Public Access → An emotional support animal’s primary function is to provide emotional support and comfort to their handler. Unlike service dogs, they require no specialized training since emotional support and comfort are not recognized tasks under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contrary to popular belief, emotional support animals do NOT have public access rights and may not accompany their handlers to non-pet-friendly public locations. Covered entities are legally allowed to ask an emotional support animal’s handler to remove the handler from their establishment for any reason since emotional support animals do not have public access rights.

Fair Housing Act → Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Air Carrier Access Act → Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Emotional support animals are, however, recognized under the Fair Housing Act and Air Carrier Access Act providing the handler has a legitimate note or prescription issued by their mental health professional. Emotional support animals are legally protected to live with their handlers in non-pet-friendly housing, unless the landlord has less than four rentals and does not use a broker. Emotional support animals may also accompany their handler in the cabin of an airplane on flights. As with service dogs, there is no federally recognized certification or registration for emotional support animals with the exception of a doctor’s note issued by a mental health professional overseeing the handler’s care.

 

THERAPY DOGS

Public Access → Unlike service dogs and emotional support animals, therapy dogs’ primary function is to provide comfort and emotional to support to multiple individuals such as hospital patients or nursing home residents. Because therapy dogs provide support to many individuals and are invited to public venues, they must be specially trained and certified under a therapy animal organization. This certification will allow them access to approved locations where their organization’s dogs have been invited to enrich the lives of others. Therapy dogs do NOT have public access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and may not accompany their handlers to non-pet-friendly establishments, unless approved by management.

Fair Housing Act → Therapy dogs do not have rights under the Fair Housing Act and are instead only recognized as pets.

Air Carrier Access Act → Therapy dogs do not have rights under the Air Carrier Access Act and are instead only recognized as pets.