Service animals fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed in 1990 to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities. The most commonly used service animals are canines due to their size and intelligence. A service dog’s main duty is to help people with disabilities perform daily tasks. This can include pulling a wheelchair, retrieving items or even sniffing out harmful allergens in the air.
In the era of COVID, service dogs can also help assure social distancing for their humans. Canine Companions for Independence is teaching service dogs to interact with the public from a safe distance, rather than allowing them to approach for a paw shake or a pet.
Training
Extensive training is required for animals to learn how to perform a range of tasks to help people suffering from physical, psychiatric, sensory (blind or deaf) or intellectual disabilities. Different types of service dogs include:
- Guide dogs for the visually impaired
- Mobility dogs to retrieve items and push buttons
- Hearing dogs to alert handlers to dangers
- Medical alert dogs to raise the alarm in life-threatening situations
- Autism service dogs who are trained to interrupt negative triggers that upset the handler
People suffering from PTSD might also require the help of a service dog. Service dogs for people with PTSD are often mislabeled as emotional support animals, but they carry the same rights as a dog helping somebody suffering from a more easily identifiable illness.
If you need the assistance of a service dog, consult a trusted trainer and ask them to train your pooch or help you find an already-trained service animal. There are no breed or weight restrictions on service dogs. As long as he’s willing to learn, Fido can start training.
Dogs who are starting from scratch usually take one to two years to get fully trained. The instructor must incorporate tasks that provide aid for the handler’s unique situation and circumstances, and will also teach Fido how to behave in public. The dog’s disposition matters, as well. Do you have a calm and intelligent hound who’s happy to chill by your side without causing a fuss? If so, they might be the perfect candidate to become a service dog.
Where They Are Allowed
The official stance from the ADA on where service dogs are permitted is as follows: “State and local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go.” This includes your workplace (if the dog is required to help you perform your daily tasks at work), public transportation, shops, restaurants and even hospitals. Essentially, anywhere the public can go, service dogs can go as well. The only places that should be avoided are areas with strict health codes, like kitchens and operating rooms.
There are only two questions that can be asked of you if you try to enter a public place with your service dog: 1) Is your dog required because of a disability? 2) What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
If you can answer both of these questions truthfully, then your service dog is protected under the ADA.
Air Travel
Under federal law, airlines must allow service dogs into cabins on planes. In the past, handlers have had to provide only verbal confirmation of their dog’s title, but the Department of Transportation has clarified its stance on assistance animals flying with their handlers. According to the DOT, airlines are permitted to deny entry to a service animal if it poses a threat to other passengers or the flight’s safety. However, they may not deny a service dog entry because of its breed. Additionally, the DOT will not take action against an airline for asking handlers of any type of service animal to present documentation related to the service animal’s vaccination, training or behavior.
Airlines use a number of techniques to determine if a dog is an actual service animal. In addition to verbal assurances from the passenger, they look for physical indicators like tags or harnesses, and they will observe the animal's behavior.