Service Dogs
An assistance dog is a dog defined in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. An assistance dog must be trained in skills and tasks directly related to the person’s disability. It is a tool, not a pet, and may go outside when working or under the control of its owner. Training tasks or chores are methods used by dogs to alleviate limitations caused by a person’s disability and increase independence. There are a wide variety of training skills available, and this field continues to evolve as dogs learn about different types of disabilities and how to assist their human companions.
Read more content Service Dog vs Emotional Support Dog
The skills learned vary from person to person. For example, a trained skill for a deaf person might be to indicate that someone is knocking at the door, or to help a person in a wheelchair turn lights on or off. However, a dog is not trained to turn a light on or off for a person who can reach it, or to indicate a knock at the door for a person without a disability.
Under federal law, emotional support and companionship are also not the responsibility of assistance dogs. If someone wants to be with a dog in a public place and the dog behaves like a normal dog, for example, petting itself or walking on a leash next to a person, that dog is not an assistance dog.
Anyone using an assistance dog should be able to answer two questions that anyone can ask: first, is the dog necessary because of the disability? This question can be answered simply with “yes” or “no”. The second question is, “What tasks or jobs has the dog been trained to do that are directly related to the person’s disability?” It is not about what happened as a result of the association. Answers such as “Helps me stay calm” or “Reduces my anxiety” do not answer the question. Answers should show what the dog has been taught and the connection to the resulting behavior. Here are some examples. My dog is trained to interrupt the repetitive behavior I unconsciously perform prior to my PTSD episodes. Or: “Is my dog trained to alert me to certain sounds that I cannot hear? Or: “Is my dog trained to pick up objects that I drop because I can’t safely pick them up?”. These are just a few of the relevant answers.
By law, a person using an assistance dog is not required to carry a dog certificate or other identifying information. Nor are they required to prove that they have a disability or have any special abilities.
For any disability, whether physical or mental, an assistance dog can be used. If the dog can be taught skills that mitigate the limitations caused by the disability, the assistance dog can work with that person.
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals are animals that provide comfort, support and companionship. These animals do not have individual experiences. They are also not available to the public.
Emotional support animals include pets, personal therapy animals and some service animals. Emotional support animals are not specifically trained for people with disabilities. They include birds, cats, dogs, guinea pigs and many other types of animals.
Emotional support animals require a written explanation from the treating physician as to why the person needs the animal to improve his or her quality of life. For example, the physician may prescribe an emotional support animal to help a person with depression develop good habits, such as getting up at a certain time, feeding herself and the animal healthy foods, and properly cleaning both areas of the house.
An emotional support animal title and proper documentation are required if the pet must travel to a home that does not allow pets or on an airplane.
Emotional support animals are regulated under the Fair Housing Act and the Air Transportation Services Act.
