Service Animals

Only animals legally defined as service animals, and in compliance with the American Disabilities Act are permitted in the library. The definition of a service animal as defined by § 36.104 of the American with Disabilities Act is: 

“Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors”.  

The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.  

According to § 36.302 of the ADA, a public entity may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if the animal is out of control and the animal´s handler does not take effective action to control it. What the regulations mean by the animal being “out of control” is that the animal must be under the control of its handler. 

It must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless the individual is unable to use one of those because of the disability and, if that’s the case, then the animal still has to be under some kind of control – like voice control or signals. Examples of “out of control” include:  

• A dog that barks repeatedly while inside the library.  
• The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.  
• The animal exhibits unwarranted and unprovoked violent behavior, such as uncontrolled barking or growling at other customers.  
• Jumping on other people.  
• Running away from the owner.  
• The animal is not housebroken.