Most locations that permit Therapy Animals require that the animal be well-behaved, non-aggressive, healthy/clean, housetrained, not a public safety hazard, and reasonably quiet, and that the animal must obey basic commands and be in your control at all times while at the location.

However, please take note that Therapy Animals are not covered by ADA disability laws, FHAA fair housing laws, or Federal transportation regulations. These animals have no rights to public access. Each location must agree to have the therapy animal visit, but is not obligated to grant access unless it wants to.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

The first step is to let the employer know that you would like to request that your assistance animal accompany you in your workplace as a reasonable accommodation for your disability. It is best to do this in writing so that you have evidence of how and when you made your request.

There is no specific way that the request has to be made; the law does not require that it be in writing or that you use particular language. However, we have had an attorney prepare a template you can use for a general request.

You can download this template for a Workplace Accommodation Request as a PD from our online class.

Remember that the ADA requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities unless it results in undue hardship.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

Some business owners or establishments may tell you, “You don’t look disabled. Why do you need a Service Animal?”

If you are in this situation, you can respond this way:

“Not all disabilities are obvious to others. I am a veteran suffering from PTSD and my Service Animal is trained to provide a physical buffer between me and other people in crowded situations which trigger my symptoms. Under the ADA, I’m allowed to take him with me anywhere I go, so please let me be on my way and I thank you for your cooperation.”

Note that this answer could have said “medical condition” instead of specifying PTSD, to preserve privacy.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

If someone asks you to show a demo of your animal’s skills, you can tell the person:

“I’d rather not, and under the ADA I don’t have to put my Service Animal through that. Giving demos would be detrimental to my animal’s training. I’ve already explained what my Service Animal does to assist me with my disability.”

Showing your registration certificate is an easy way to assert your rights and is often easier than trying to educate the person about the law. By handing it over, you can shortcut the conversation.

Registration is very useful for owners because it can shortcut uncomfortable conversations with landlords, employers, airlines, and business owners, but it is not the registration that gives the animal its status.

The only two required elements are that you have a condition that is a disability and that the animal assists you with your disability by performing a specific function. Refer to Chapter 1 for more detail about the assistance animal types and requirements.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

You may exclude any animal, including a service animal, from your facility when that animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

For example, any service animal that displays vicious behavior towards other guests or customers may be excluded. You may not make assumptions, however, about how a particular animal is likely to behave based on your past experience with other animals. Each situation must be considered individually.

Although a public accommodation may exclude any service animal that is out of control, it should give the individual with a disability who uses the service animal the option of continuing to enjoy its goods and without having the service animal on the premises.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

You need to let your tax preparer know that you have an assistance animal. For some owners/handlers, the following expenses may be tax deductible as medical expenses:

• Purchasing an assistance animal
• Veterinary costs related to the assistance animal
• Food costs to feed the assistance animal
• The cost of any registration, gear such as vests, and educational courses

Every person’s tax situation and income level are unique; you will need to have the conversations with your tax preparer to see if your expenses qualify as a deduction. Not everyone will be able to take advantage of the tax benefits, but if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

Here are some tips for you to take advantage of any tax benefits:

• Save all receipts in a folder you designate for costs related to your assistance animal.
• Track all costs for which you do not have a receipt.
• Keep a record of how your assistance animal has assisted you in that tax year.

Make sure to keep all records or documents.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

Not everyone understands assistance animal laws. Even if you are very clear with others and take all the suggested actions to communicate your needs and requests for accommodation, it is possible for your rights to be ignored or violated by other people and businesses such as:

• Landlords, Property Managers, or Hotels
• Airlines or Public Ground Transit Providers
• Staff at Restaurants, Movie Theaters, Parks, and Shops

You have a lot of choices in how you respond to a person violating your rights. Not all people understand their obligations or your rights. Some violations are out of ignorance, not spite or ill will. Other violations might be out of anger or intentional. You can probably guess or sense which it is and can react accordingly.

If the person violating your rights is doing so out of ignorance about the law, brief education can sometimes solve the issue.

If the person violating your rights is doing so out of anger, or harasses you, or repeatedly violates your rights, or is threatening your peace of mind, you can take more serious action such as:

• Giving the person a signed Notice of Violation.
• Reporting the person to the appropriate agency.
• Seeking legal assistance from a free “pro bono” attorney services organization such as Legal Aid.
• Hiring a private attorney to help you sue the violator for your damages, such as emotional distress and any loss you suffered.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

An employer has certain rights and is allowed to do the following:

1. Request reasonable evidence of the employee’s need for the assistance animal, such as a medical professional’s note. However, the employer may not ask detailed medical questions which would be an invasion of privacy rights and must consider other reasonable evidence if there is no medical professional note available.

2. Deny/eject the assistance animal if it causes an unreasonable nuisance or public safety hazard. For example, if there is a barking habit, flea infestation, evidence of an actual disease, aggressive behavior, feces or urine contamination due to the owner/handler neglecting to clean up, etc. Note that these must be actual rather than merely potential issues.

3. Refuse to accommodate the request for an assistance animal if it would cause an undue financial or another burden on the employer. For example, if the employer’s insurance carrier would cancel the insurance policy if a certain breed of dog, such as a pit bull or chow breed, were kept in the workplace, or if the accommodation would require extensive costs that would be considered objectively unreasonably high, such as physical alterations or construction.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

There is only one type of assistance animal which an employer must accommodate in the workplace: Service animals.

Emotional support animals or therapy animals are usually not accommodated unless the employer voluntarily chooses to allow these two categories of assistance animals.

When it comes to an employer’s obligations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship.

Service Animal requests are usually accommodated by employers unless the employer can show a reason why it creates a danger to others or undue hardship. For example, a Service Animal can likely be denied access to food-prep areas or locations with dangerous machinery.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

Airlines may deny cabin access only to animals that pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

For example, if the animal displays threatening behaviors by growling, snarling, lunging at, or attempting to bite other persons on the aircraft or cause a significant disruption in cabin service (i.e., a ‘‘fundamental alteration’’ to passenger service).

The inconvenience of other passengers such as allergies is not sufficient grounds to deny a service animal carriage in the cabin.

Are you an owner of an assistance animal?

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the text or image below.

ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS