NOTICE: WITHDRAWN DOCUMENT

This document has been withdrawn because it is outdated and was superseded by the current ADA title II and title III regulations. This document is still available on ADA.gov because it is relied upon in ADA rulemaking documents. For more information about the Department's withdrawn technical assistance and guidance documents, please go to: www.ada.gov/ta_withdrawn.html. The subject matter of this document is addressed in the current publication titled ADA Requirements: Service Animals

U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Disability Rights Section

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Americans with Disabilities Act

ADA Business BRIEF: Service Animals
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Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices, theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.



woman with service animal in store

Caption: Businesses that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to enter with their service animal.


service dog picks up drink can and brings it to woman using wheelchair


Caption: Service animals are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities.

If you have additional questions concerning the ADA and service animals, please call the Department's ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) or visit the ADA Business Connection at archive.ADA.gov.

Duplication is encouraged. April 2002

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Acrobat (PDF) version for printing

 

 

last update April 26, 2002