SPEAKER: Hello and welcome to this edition of "Ask About the ADA Podcast," where we answer frequently asked questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act and talk about how it might apply to your everyday life.
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This week, we have a couple questions about service animals. So let's dive right in.
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The first question is the following-- is a service animal in training considered a service animal?
Well, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service animal in training is actually not considered to be a full service animal, and so it doesn't have the full rights to access public places and spaces that a trained service animal does. Now, keep in mind, though, that there are state and local laws, and these might differ.
For example, in New York state, a recognized professional is allowed to bring an animal in training into the public spaces. This, again, goes beyond what the ADA offers in terms of protection. But know, too, that it's different. Under the ADA, an individual can train a service animal. However, under New York state law, service animal in training must be accompanied by a person who is recognized as a professional trainer--- so an important difference to keep in mind. That's why it's important to always check both the ADA and local and state laws.
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Here is our second question. Do service animals have to wear a vest to identify them as service animals?
The short answer is no. A simple leash or a harness is all that is required of a service animal and a handler. The key thing is that the service animal is always under the control of its handler. There are times in circumstances where, because of the tasks that a service animal does or because of the type of disability of its handler, a service animal might not have a leash. However, it always must be under the control of its handler at all times.
It's important to note, too, that the vests or licenses that you may see on the Internet have no legal weight for identifying a service animal either. These are not required under the Americans with Disabilities Act and have no legal authority or weight. So keep that in mind both if you're a person with a service animal or if you're a business owner.
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Well, if you have more questions about service animals or anything else under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please feel free to reach out and contact the Northeast ADA. You can contact us by telephone at 1-800-949-4232. You can email us at northeastada@cornell.edu. Or of course, you can visit our website northeastada.org and submit a question there. Please also consider following us on social media, on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. And thank you for joining us. And we look forward to being with you again soon.
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