Service Dogs
& Other Animal
Assistants
A PUBLICATION OF THE
Developmental Disabilities
Council of Oklahoma
OKDDC.OK.GOV 405.521.4984
@OKDDC
• An individual’s right to use service dogs is protected
under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• A service animal must be individually trained either by the person
using the animal or a professional trainer to complete specific tasks.
• A service dog may accompany their handler to any building or facility
where the public, program participants, customers, or clients are
allowed. This is not true for emotional support and therapy animals.
• Under the ADA, service animals are limited to dogs. However,
entities must make reasonable policy modifications allowing
for miniature horses if they have been individually trained to
do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.
• Persons using emotional support or therapy animals are not
entitled to the same rights as service animals under the ADA.
• There is no national or state recognized certification,
nor training standards for service animals.
According to the ADA, a service animal is individually trained to perform
tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. This includes
physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual and other mental disabilities.
Handler’s Rights & Responsibilities
• Handlers can be asked only two questions regarding a service dog:
1) Is this dog required because of a disability?
2) What task has this dog been trained to do?
• Service dogs are not required to wear a vest or badge while
working nor does the handler have to provide a special license.
• A doctor’s note does not transform a pet into a service animal.
• The animal should be vaccinated in accordance with state & local laws.
• The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of
their service dog. If a service dog behaves poorly and the
person with a disability does not control the dog, a business
can prohibit the dog from entering the property. Uncontrolled
barking, growling, jumping, or running away from the handler
are examples of unacceptable behavior for a service dog.
• The animal must be housebroken.
• If a public accommodation (hotel or lodging) normally charges
individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability
may be charged for damage caused by their service dog.
• Numerous laws prohibit employment discrimination because
of a disability. Employers are required to provide reasonable
accommodation. Allowing an individual with a disability to have a
service dog or an emotional support animal accompany them to work
may be considered a reasonable accommodation. Both animals can be
excluded from the workplace if they pose a direct or undue hardship.
Emotional Support & Therapy Animals
• Emotional support animals (ESA) and therapy dogs are not
considered service animals under the ADA. These support animals
provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with
depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special
training to perform tasks assisting people with disabilities.
• ESA are not required to undergo specialized training and are
not limited to working with people with disabilities.
• Most public seings do not have to accommodate an emotional
support animal - they have no more rights than a pet.
• Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact to
improve their physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive
functioning. They are oen used in hospitals and long term
care facilities and aer community-wide disaster events.
• The Air Carrier Access Act (1990) allows service dogs and ESA to fly in
the aircra cabin with their handlers, free of charge. For ESA, you may
be asked to provide a leer from a physician. The Air Carrier Access Act
does not allow “service animals in training” in the cabin because “in
training” status indicates they do not yet meet the legal definition of
service animal.
• In Oklahoma, a landlord may request “reliable supporting
documentation” (OK House Bill 3282, 2018).
Housing
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects a person with a disability from
discrimination in obtaining housing and applies to landlords and
homeowners associations.
Emotional support animals may qualify as reasonable accommodations
under the FHA. This may include waiving the pet deposit fee.
This publication is provided by Developmental
Disabilities Council of Oklahoma.
Phone: 405-521-4984
Email: staff@okddc.ok.gov
This is Charlie, service dog to Dr. Aparna Nair of
the History of Science program at the University of
Oklahoma. He is a rescue from the Norman pound and
supports Dr. Nair on campus and at home with needs
unique to her disability.
Thank you to Dr. Nair and Charlie for their participation.
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