What is the difference between
service animals/service dogs, therapy animals, companion animals
and "social" animals?
Service animals are legally defined
(Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990) and are trained to meet
the disability-related needs of their handlers who have
disabilities. Federal laws protect the rights of individuals
with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals in
public places. To be protected by federal law, the person must
meet the definition of having a disability. To have the right of
access with the animal to otherwise "no pets/animals"
areas open to the public, the person must meet the definition of
having a disability and the animal must meet the definition of
service animal. Service animals/service dogs are not considered
"pets."
Therapy animals are not legally defined by
federal law, but some states have laws defining therapy animals.
They provide people with contact to animals, but are not limited
to working with people who have disabilities. They are usually
the personal pets of their handlers, and work with their
handlers to provide services to others. Federal laws have no
provisions for people to be accompanied by therapy animals in
places of public accommodation that have "no pets"
policies. Therapy animals usually are not
service animals.
Companion animal is not legally defined, but
is accepted as another term for pet.
"Social" animals likewise have no
legal definition. They often are animals that did not complete
service animal/service dog training due to health, disposition,
trainability, or other factors, and are made available as pets
for people who have disabilities. These animals might or might
not meet the definition of service animals.
Visit
my Service Dog Rocky's Web page
Support Group e-lists
Links to More Service
Animal Information
|