Copied from "ADA Business Brief: Service Animals"
www.ada.gov/svcanimb.html

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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woman with service animal in store



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

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.




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 ada.gov.

Duplication is encouraged. April 2002



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