Guide to Service Animals in Housing and Public Places Iowa Civil Rights Commission Federal, state and some local laws require that housing providers and places normally open to the public must allow trained service animals to accompany people with disabilities onto the premises. This includes businesses, agencies, government offices, health clinics, and covered dwellings. WHAT IS A SERVICE ANIMAL? A service animal is any animal that has been trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. Under the law, a service animal is not considered a pet. Dogs are the most common service animals, but other species (miniature horses, monkeys, birds, cats, etc.) also can be service animals. Service animals can perform many types of tasks for someone with a disability. Guide dogs are used by people who are blind or visually impaired. Other service animals are trained to alert a deaf person to sounds, to alert an individual with seizure disorder to an oncoming seizure, to carry and pick up things for someone who uses a wheelchair, or to help with balance, for example. There are no legal requirements for service animals to be specifically identified. Some (but not all) service animals wear special vests and harnesses. Some (but not all) are licensed or certified and/or have identification papers. No pets policies do not apply to service animals. You must make an exception for them. RESPONSIBILITIES: • Businesses cannot require a person with a disability to show proof of a disability or certification of a service animals status. They may ask a person with an animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability, if they are not certain that an animal is a service animal. Housing providers may request verification if the disability or need for the service animal is not obvious or otherwise known. • Businesses and housing providers cannot restrict the areas where a service animal can go. A service animal must be allowed to accompany a person with a disability everywhere that people may normally go, unless the animals presence creates a basic change to your business operation or threat to safety. • Businesses and housing providers cannot restrict access to service animals because of health regulations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) takes priority over local and state laws or regulations. The only exception is a hospital operating room; however, patient rooms are not restricted. • Businesses may exclude a service animal from the premises when its behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. Businesses do not have to accommodate a service animal when doing so would result in a fundamental alteration to the nature of the business. For more information: Iowa Civil Rights Commission Grimes State Office Building 400 E. 14th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319-1004 515-281-4121 800-457-4416 state.ia.us/government/crc
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 02:39:25 +0000
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