July 26, 2025, was the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Service animals are significant under the ADA as they provide essential assistance to individuals with disabilities, enabling them to participate more fully in everyday life. However, there is often confusion surrounding service animals. This guide aims to help clear things up by addressing a few of the common questions people have about service animals.
ADA definition of a “service animal”
Note: This guide only provides information on the rules and regulations regarding service animals as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some state and local laws also define “service animal” more broadly than the ADA does. Information about these laws can be obtained from your state’s attorney general’s office.
Under the ADA, a “service animal” is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, and the tasks performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. Let’s break it down a bit further.
Service Animals are:
- Dogs only (see section about Miniature Horse below)
- Any breed and any size of dog
- Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability
Service Animals are not:
- Any type of animal other than dogs (see section about Miniature Horses below)
- Required to be certified or go through a professional training program
- Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates that they’re a service animal, Emotional support, or comfort animal
What are the differences between other support animals and service animals?
The main distinction between service animals and other types of support animals is whether the animal is trained to perform a specific task directly related to a person’s disability. If the animal only provides comfort to the person, it is not considered a service animal under the ADA. For example:
- A dog that only provides comfort or anxiety relief to its handler through its presence alone is not considered a service animal under the ADA.
- A dog that has been trained to sense an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact is considered a service animal under the ADA.
Examples of service animal tasks
- A person who uses a wheelchair has a dog trained to retrieve objects for them.
- A person who has depression has a dog trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication.
- A person who has PTSD has a dog trained to lick their hand to alert them to an oncoming panic attack.
- A person who has epilepsy has a dog trained to detect the onset of a seizure, and the dog helps the person remain safe during the seizure.
Where are service animals allowed?
Generally, service animals are allowed to go anywhere their person can go, even in places that don’t normally allow pets. For example, service dogs are allowed in the following public areas:
- Restaurants
- Shops
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Hotels
According to the ADA, one of the few exceptions to this is if the presence of a service animal would “fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, programs, or activities provided to the public.” For example, service animals are allowed in public areas of a hospital, but not necessarily in an operating room or ICU where the animal might compromise a sterile environment.
Can I ask if a dog is a service dog?
The ADA protects the rights of service animal owners to not have to answer certain questions or provide proof about their service animal. It’s also important to remember:
- Service animals are not required to wear vests or other accessories that identify them as service animals.
- A dog wearing a vest or other accessory that identifies them as a service animal is not necessarily a service animal.
If you work at a business or a state or local government facility and you’re not sure if someone’s dog is a service animal, you are only allowed to ask these two questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
You are not allowed to:
- Request proof or documentation that the dog is registered, licensed, or certified as a service animal
- Require that the dog demonstrates the task it’s trained for
- Ask the person about their disability
Can I ask someone to remove their service animal?
You are not allowed to ask a person with a disability. They do remove their service animal from a property, unless:
- The animal is not housebroken, or
- The animal is out of control, and their person cannot get the animal under control
Service animals must be under control
Service animals must always be under the control of their handler. This means they must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered except under these two conditions:
- If the person’s disability prevents using these devices, or
- If these devices interfere with the service animal’s ability to perform their trained tasks safely or effectively
In either of these cases, the handler must still maintain control of the animal through voice commands, signals, or other effective ways.
State and local laws
State and local governments can:
- Require service animals to be licensed and vaccinated, but only if every animal is required
- Ask people to voluntarily register their service dog
State and local governments can’t:
- Require mandatory service animal certification or registration
- Ban certain dog breeds from being service animals
Miniature horses
In addition to the rules about service dogs, the ADA has a separate rule about miniature horses. Just like with service dogs, to qualify as a service animal, a miniature horse must:
- Be a miniature horse. Miniature horses generally range in height from 24 to 34 inches at the shoulders and generally weigh between 70 and 100 pounds.
- Be individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
- Be housebroken.
- Be under the control of their handler at all times.
Additionally:
- The facility must be able to accommodate the miniature horse’s size and weight, and
- The animal can’t pose a threat to the safe operation of the facility.
Learn more about the ADA and service animals
- Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
- ADA Requirements: Service Animals
- ADA Topic: Service Animals
Oklahoma Works, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, and Oklahoma ABLE Tech have collaborated to provide this information and advice to those seeking accommodations in the workplace.