Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA

This U.S. Department of Justice resource answers common questions about service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It explains training, public access, handler responsibilities, certification, registration, and circumstances permitting exclusion. Questions address situations involving hotels, hospitals, restaurants, schools, and other settings. Psychiatric service dogs perform trained tasks related to a person’s disability, such as responding to an approaching anxiety attack. Emotional support animals provide comfort through their presence, which alone does not qualify them as service animals under ADA public-access rules.