Ada Service Dog Definition

Emotional support animals also called therapy or comfort animals have not been trained to perform work or tasks.

Ada service dog definition.

A service dog is a specifically task trained to help an individual with a disability that substantially limits one or more life activities. This definition does not affect or limit the broader definition of assistance animal under the fair housing act or the broader definition of service animal under the air carrier access act. Disabilities may include visual difficulties hearing impairments post traumatic stress disorder ptsd seizures ambulatory issues mental illness diabetes autism and more depending upon the applicable law. The ada makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals.

If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact that would qualify as a service animal. Content was developed by the mid atlantic ada center and is based on professional consensus of ada experts and the ada national network. Service animal defined by title ii and title iii of the ada. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ada.