About Service Dogs
Copyright 2011 Therapetics Service Dogs of Oklahoma All Rights Reserved.
According to the Department of Justice's ADA (Americans with Disability Act) Regulations, Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
Service dogs are refered to using different terms such as guide dogs, hearing dogs,
seizure alert/response dogs, diabetic alert/response dogs, psychiatric service dogs,
and mobility dogs.
Service Dogs and Public Access
Trainers and disabled owners of service dogs are protected under the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which means they are permitted to be
accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a place of public
accommodation where members of the public, program participants, clients,
customers, patrons, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go. Additional federal
laws protect people with disabilities partnered with service animals from
discrimination in housing (Fair Housing Amendments Act) and on
aircraft (Air Carrier Access Act).
For more information about Service Dogs contact the Therapetics office.
Additional information may also be found at www.ada.gov or call the
Departmentof Justice's ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice)
or 800 - 514 - 0383 (TTY).
Service Dog Etiquette
If you encounter a service dog in training or a puppy in training, ignore it!
At this stage of training, they are easily distractible and can have a whole
day’s training lost if interfered with.
When you meet a person with a service dog, please remember that the dog is working.
You don't want anything to interrupt the dog from performing its tasks.
- Speak to the dog’s partner, not the service dog.
- Always ask before beginning to interact with the dog.
- Do not whistle or make sounds to the dog as this may provide a dangerous distraction.