General Information
What is a service animal?
Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.
What does “do work” or “perform tasks” mean?
The animal must be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability. For example, a person with diabetes may have a dog that is trained to alert him when his blood sugar reaches high or low levels, or a person who has epilepsy may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure.
Do they have to register with AAS?
Registration is not required, but students are required to notify AAS and University Housing if they will be living on campus with a service animal.
Does the ADA require service animals to be professionally trained?
No. People with disabilities have the right to train the animal themselves and are not required to use a professional training program.
Is an in-training service animal allowed in public places?
Yes. Under Arkansas law, service animals-in-training are granted the same access as service animals.
What can A-State Faculty/Staff ask to determine if an animal is a service animal?
In situations where it is not obvious that the animal is a service animal, faculty/staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the animal been trained to perform? Faculty/staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the animal, require that the animal demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability.
Do service animals have to wear special equipment (patch, vest, harness, etc.) identifying them as service animals?
No. The ADA does not require service animals to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness.
Does a service animal have to be on a leash?
Not necessarily. Service animals must be under their handler’s control. This usually means harnessed, leashed, or tethered. In cases where the device interferes with the animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using the device, the individual must maintain control through voice, signal, or other effective controls.