Schools and Business Dogs

The federal statute, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), mandates access to dogs in all public places— including schools and business avenues. The ADA secures entrance for all services that a person with a disability uses to help that person broaden his or her independence. The ADA is clear that the premises must allow the service animals to enter and have sufficient access to the facility, but the facilities are not responsible for the handling of the dog. The service animal must be under handler supervision. The trainer, in most situations, is the person that the dog was trained to support. In certain circumstances, the handler is the parent or guardian who has been qualified to teach the dog and use it to help alleviate aspects of the child’s condition, usually for children under the age of 14. Having a service dog requires keeping the dog leashed and harnessed and making sure that its conduct is acceptable for all public settings.