Service Dog Awareness
Many people have an awareness that service dogs assist their person and that they are permitted to be in public spaces, but there’s a lot more to know about service dog teams (comprised of the dog and the handler). Here is some important information for the LU community to understand:
Service Dogs are Working
When you see an individual with a service dog in a public space, please understand that the dog is doing vital work for someone with a disability (even if it doesn’t appear to be doing anything). Service dogs are trained to be alert and attentive to their handler in order to perform specific tasks for them. It is important that service dogs not be distracted from their work by talking to them, touching them, crowding them, or whistling at them. For the health and safety of its handler, it is best that you pay no attention to a service dog unless given permission by the handler to approach, greet, or pet it.
Service Dogs are Protected Under Law
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service dogs to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of a facility where the public is allowed to go. It is important to note that under these same regulations, the handler must maintain control of the service dog at all times, and the dog must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered.