Ada Service Dog Definition

The ada makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals.

Ada service dog definition.

Under title iii of the federal americans with disabilities act ada and virtually all state laws a service animal is an animal that has been trained to perform work or tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ada. 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. 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. 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. The definition of a service animal under each of these laws is different from the definition under the ada.