Is Identification Required?

No. Identification is a voluntary measure to help mitigate uncomfortable confrontations and embarrassing questions, as well as boost your confidence while out in public. No business or entity may require your service dog to wear a vest and/or show other forms of identification before granting access.

Forms of Identification

• Service Dog ID cards
• Service Dog ID Tags
• Service Dog Customized ID Tags
• Service Dog Vest
• Service Dog Harness
• Service Dog Leash
• Service Dog Collar

Can businesses and other entities ask me questions about my service dog?

Yes.  A business, airline representative, or other entity may legally ask you two questions:

1. is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

As long as you provide verbal credible evidence to these two questions, they legally have to provide you access. If they do not provide you access with confirmation to these two questions, you do have legal recourse.  Click here for more information about complaints.

 Service Dog Handler Responsibilities

Handlers must maintain control over service dogs consistently, utilizing verbal commands or hand signals. Moreover, the dogs should be tethered to or harnessed with their handler at all times, unless such restraint interferes with the service dog’s ability to execute its trained tasks.

Service Dog Rights and Protections

• Housing Rights
  • Live with you in your primary residence without pet fees and/or pet deposits.  May live with you even if a landlord has a no pet policy.
• Airline Travel
  • Two service dogs per handler are allowed to fly with their handler in the cabin of the aircraft at no additional charge.
• Public Access
  • Service dogs have the right to go out in public just about everywhere that is accessible to the public:
    • Hotels/motels
    • Grocery Stores
    • Restaurants
    • Movie theaters
    • Work Environments
    • Hospitals
    • Hospices
    • Schools
    • Businesses