Service Animal Verification

People with disabilities who use service animals may often be easily identified without any need for questioning. If you can tell by looking, you should not make the person feel uncomfortable by asking questions. If you are unsure whether an animal meets the definition of a service animal, management may ask the person with the disability the following two questions in a discreet and non-threatening way:

• Is the animal required because of a disability?
• What tasks or services has the animal been trained to perform?

You may not ask questions about the person's disability. You may not ask to be shown certification or a special ID card as proof of the animal’s training. You may not ask a guest with a service animal to use a specific entrance, exit or area of the business.

You may expect the animal to behave appropriately and be under the control of the owner/partner/trainer. You may expect the person to clean up after the animal if there should be an accident, but that is highly unlikely as most service animals are trained to "go" on demand and only in specific locations.

Assistance Dog Etiquette - Do’s And Don’ts

The following list of recommendations is for when meeting or interacting with an Assistance/Service Dog team in public. This same etiquette applies to Assistance/Service Puppies in training.

• DON’T…distract the dog from their working position by calling, clapping, or offering food.
• DO…allow the Assistance Dog to serve as a working partner without distraction.
• DON’T…attempt to pet or touch an Assistance Dog…this also applies to your children and dogs;
• DO…speak to the person…not to the dog when greeting an Assistance Dog team.
• DON’T…be insulted if your request to pet the Assistance Dog is not granted;
• DO…understand that releasing the dog to greet you might distract the dogs attentiveness to their partner.
• DON’T…automatically tell the person that there are no dogs allowed.
• DO…ask if the dog with them is an Assistance/Service Dog. If they say yes…no further access questions are necessary.
• DON’T…assume that the dog is not an Assistance Dog because the person doesn’t look disabled;
• DO… observe the conduct and interaction between the person and the dog. If the dog is being attentive to his or her partner and functioning close to them, you are looking at the main characteristics of an Assistance/Service Dog.

Service Animal Standards Of Behavior

Public Appropriateness:

• Animal is clean and does not have a foul odor.
• Animal does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations.
  

Behavior:

• Animal shall not make unsolicited contact with members of the general public.
• Animal's conduct does not disrupt the normal course of business.
• Animal works without unnecessary vocalization.
• Animal shows no aggression toward people or other animals.
• Animal does not solicit or steal food or other items from the general public.
• Animal is specifically trained to perform more than one task to mitigate (lessen) the effects of
  its partner's disability; said disability being any condition as described by and covered under the
  ADA that substantially impairs one or more major life functions.
• Animal obeys the commands of its handler.
• Animal works calmly and quietly on a harness, leash or other tether.
• Animal has been specifically trained to perform its duties in public and is accustomed to being
  out in public.
• Animal must be able to lie quietly beside the handler without blocking aisles, doorways, etc.
• Animal is trained to urinate or defecate on command
• Animal stays within 24" of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it
  to be working at a greater distance.

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