What is a Service Animal?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal refers to a specifically trained dog or
miniature horse. The task the service animal is trained to do must be directly related to the task needed
by its human companion.
Unlike a service animal, an emotional support animal has no specific training; rather, its mere presence
provides therapeutic benefits.
There is a two-part examination to determine if a service animal is, in fact, a service animal. First, is it a
dog or a miniature horse? Second, is it readily apparent that the service animal has the training to assist
with a specific task? If both are true, then it is likely that approval is required.
Both service animals and emotional support animals are covered by various federal and state laws that
boards must navigate.
