LIFESTYLE AUTHOR
Rachel Cook
SERVICE ANIMALS AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS n Learn the difference between the two and what you need to know about these helpful companions.
A
t first glance, service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) can seem like two very similar labels and, in a way, they are. But what it takes for an animal to qualify as one or the other does differ in some major ways. Here, we’ve broken down the guidelines to allow for a general understanding of what’s what.
host programs with puppy raisers who work to prepare the pups for training. After formal training, the dogs are then paired with someone in need of a service dog. Under the ADA, “state and local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally” are required to allow service dogs even where pets would not typically be allowed. Documentation or proof that the dog is “certified, trained or licensed,” according to the ADA, is not allowed to be required for entry of service dogs into a facility. That being said, service animals must accompany their handler and be leashed. In regard to more specific scenarios, the ADA has a more extensive list of information on the legal rights of owners of service dogs. For example, if it is not obvious that the animal is a service animal in a public location, staff members may only ask two questions: “Is the service animal required because of a disability?” and “What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?” Handlers of service animals are guaranteed the right to the same treatment as anyone else in a public space. Hotels cannot charge for animals or
Service Dogs
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service dogs as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” These tasks directly support people who are impeded by disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, calming those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and more. This specific training distinguishes work animals from pets. Service dogs typically breed and then begin training around six months old. Some organizations, such as Canine Companions,
MARCH 2021
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