NOTICE: WITHDRAWN DOCUMENT

This document has been withdrawn because it is outdated and was superseded by the current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withdrawn technical assistance and guidance documents, please go to: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

Americans with Disabilities Act

Service Animals

Service animals are animals that are individually trained to performtasks for people with disabilities – such as guiding people who areblind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting andprotecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other specialtasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.

Service animals are individuallytrained to perform tasks for

people with disabilities

ADA Business BRIEF:

Businesses that serve the publicmust allow people with disabilitiesto enter with their service animal

• Businesses may ask if an animal isa service animal or ask what tasksthe animal has been trained toperform, but cannot require specialID cards for the animal or askabout the person’s disability.

• People with disabilities who useservice animals cannot be chargedextra fees, isolated from otherpatrons, or treated less favorablythan other patrons. However, if abusiness such as a hotel normallycharges guests for damage thatthey cause, a customer with adisability may be charged fordamage caused by his or herservice animal.

• A person with a disability cannotbe asked to remove his serviceanimal from the premises unless:(1) the animal is out of control andthe animal’s owner does not takeeffective action to control it (forexample, a dog that barksrepeatedly during a movie) or (2)the animal poses a direct threat tothe health or safety of others.

• In these cases, the business shouldgive the person with the disabilitythe option to obtain goods andservices without having the animalon the premises.

Under the Americans withDisabilities Act (ADA), businessesand organizations that serve the publicmust allow people with disabilities tobring their service animals into allareas of the facility where customersare normally allowed to go. Thisfederal law applies to all businessesopen to the public, includingrestaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles,grocery and department stores,hospitals and medical offices, the-aters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.

• Businesses that sell or preparefood must allow service animals inpublic areas even if state or localhealth codes prohibit animals onthe premises.

• A business is not required toprovide care or food for a serviceanimal or provide a speciallocation for it to relieve itself.

• Allergies and fear of animals aregenerally not valid reasons fordenying access or refusing serviceto people with service animals.

• Violators of the ADA can berequired to pay money damagesand penalties.

Duplication is encouraged. April 2002

If you have additional questionsconcerning the ADA and serviceanimals, please call the Department’sADA Information Line at(800) 514-0301 (voice) or(800) 514-0383 (TTY) or visit theADA Business Connection at

www.ada.gov