Illustration of a blind person walking outside with their service dog

Service Animals: Partners in Independence

You’ve probably heard that old expression, “A dog is man’s (or woman’s) best friend.” For a person with a disability, a dog can be more than just a friend — it can be a lifeline by providing services that can keep you safe and secure. A service animal can help you experience a greater sense of independence and confidence.

The assistance service animals provide is actually protected by law. No fees can be charged to you for relying on a service animal anywhere in public, including public transportation and local businesses, and although it can be costly to purchase and train a service animal, their legal protections extend to being tax deductible.

In this guide, we provide some basics about service animals, as well as resources where you can learn a lot more.

What are service animals?

The legal definition, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.” Although the law says the term “service animals” refers to dogs, there are certain cases where a miniature horse is allowed, provided it’s housebroken, under the owner’s control, and other restrictions. The person who owns or uses the service animal is called the handler.

They are treated as working animals, not pets, under federal law. In other words, if a business has a “no pets” policy, that does not refer to service animals, so you can still bring yours inside.

What makes service animals different from a pet or therapy animal? It’s in the ADA definition — it performs specific tasks that support a person with a disability. The animal has been trained to perform this task, and it can be witnessed doing it. This may be subtle or small, such as licking a hand to calm you during an anxiety attack. 

What can a service dog do?

Service dogs can be trained to support a handler in so many ways! They can: 

  • Help people who are blind or have low vision to get around in public places
  • Alert the deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds
  • Pull a wheelchair
  • Let the handler know if a deadly allergen is present nearby
  • Assist a person who is having a seizure to stay safe
  • Retrieve items such as medications or a telephone in case of emergencies
  • Provide physical support for someone with mobility issues
  • Help someone with psychiatric or neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting behaviors that are destructive or dangerous
  • Sense a coming panic attack and alert the handler by licking a hand or other action

What are the rules for service animals?

Numerous laws protect owners of service dogs, allowing you to bring your dog into public places, including airplanes, taxis, your workplace, a hotel, a restaurant, a school, and more. You can’t be charged a fee for having a service animal with you — not even a cleaning fee — nor refused access in any way. 

No one can require you to go to special “pet-friendly” locations, such as outdoor tables or hotel rooms. Remember, this is a working animal, not a pet, and has every right to be with you anywhere you go. No one can ask you to remove a service animal unless it:

  • Is not housebroken (meaning that it relieves itself on floors)
  • Is out of control or can’t be brought under control by its handler

You might wonder if you’ll have to present any paperwork or official permission to have a service animal. The answer is no. The law says you are not required to license or certify a service dog — this puts an undue burden on the owner — so you don’t need to carry any proof. You don’t even need to put a vest on the dog, although many people do this to help others see immediately that the dog is working. 

These are the only rules for service animals:

  • The animal must be leashed/harnessed/tethered so the handler always has control of it.
  • The animal must be well-behaved in public and never pose a threat or cause disruptions.
  • It must be housebroken.
  • If the state or local government has laws that require all dogs to be licensed or vaccinated, you do need to follow that law. 

Also, no one is allowed to ask why you have the service dog or what disability you have. No one can ask for a medical note or other documentation proving you need the animal or that it is “officially” a service animal. No one can require registration of the animal. No specific breed of dog can be banned. And no one is allowed to ask you to demonstrate the task it performs to support you.

There are only two questions anyone is allowed, by law, to ask you about your animal:

  1. Is this a service animal that is required because of a disability?
  2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

 

There is no certification required by law for service animals, but there are still a lot of companies out there that sell them. Anyone who tries to sell you such a license or certification is committing a fraud. It’s illegal, and you do not need to purchase this.

Unfortunately, there are always a few bad apples that spoil the bunch. There are also dishonest people who say their pets are service dogs just so they can benefit from legal protections. Not only is this a crime that comes with expensive fines, but it affects the credibility of true service dogs. It’s important to get a trained service animal in the proper legal way to make sure you don’t violate this law.

How do I get a service animal?

If you believe you could benefit from a service animal, the first step is to meet with your health care provider, such as your primary care doctor. The doctor can talk to you about whether a service dog could help you. The health care professional can provide you with a letter confirming that you have a disability qualifying you for that service, and any other documents related to your diagnosis. Conditions that qualify include mobility impairments, seizure disorders, diabetes, autism, hearing or visual impairments, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Then, you would need to submit an application to an accredited service dog provider, along with this document, to request the dog. 

There are organizations around the country that train and provide service dogs to those who apply. However, they are limited in number because of the amount of training needed to prepare dogs for service. As a result, there’s usually a waiting list of several months or more. 

Some organizations provide service dogs to applicants from around the country. However, if your application is accepted, you may be required to travel out of state to pick up the dog. Organizations that provide service animals include 

 

What if you already have a dog that you’d like to use as a service dog? There are many schools available locally in Nevada that can help you train your dog for service. However, be aware that training a service dog can take hundreds of hours of work, so it’s a big commitment. An online search can reveal many service-dog-training businesses, but here in Nevada, they include:

Issues to consider with service dogs

There are several factors to think about when you’re considering getting or training a service dog. Here are some of the most important ones:

  • Tasks: What tasks do you need the dog to perform? This may affect the type of dog you get. For example, a very small dog may not be able to reach a countertop and get your medications or assist you with mobility, but it may be good at providing comfort for certain psychiatric or neurological disabilities, especially if space is limited in your home.
  • Breed: Training a service dog takes many dozens of hours, and some breeds may not be suitable for that kind of work. It must be on its best behavior, remain quietly by your side at all times, and behave well on a leash. Think about your needs, your daily routine, and other considerations when thinking about what type of service dog to get.
  • Cost: There are costs involved in owning any dog, including food and visits to the veterinarian. Plus, some service dogs cost a lot of money to purchase or train.
  • Commitment: Owning a dog is a major responsibility. You need to be willing to keep the animal beside you at all times, spend a lot of time getting to know it and work with it, so that you each trust each other. It means always having another body with you, making sure it gets the food, water, and other care it needs to be healthy to perform its work, for as long as it lives with you. You should only get a service dog if you truly are willing to commit to this lifelong responsibility.

How is a service animal different from a therapy or emotional support animal?

First and most important, emotional support and therapy dogs are not trained to perform any specific tasks related to their handlers’ disabilities. Instead, they provide a feeling of safety, comfort, or companionship simply through their presence. Because they are not technically working animals, they are not protected by the same laws that protect service animals. Though they may offer therapeutic benefits, they don’t meet the definition of service animals. In other words, your right to bring an emotional support animal into public spaces isn’t protected by Nevada law or the ADA. 

However, there are state and federal laws — the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act — that protect your right to live with one or bring it on airplanes. 

Emotional support animals don’t need to have specific training, unlike service animals. However, they do need to show good behavior and never pose a threat to a person. 

Additional resources

To learn more about what’s involved in having a service animal, explore these resources: