Assistance Animals

There are clear laws protecting the right of people with disabilities to have their assistance animals with them. Yet, many people still face discrimination because of their service or emotional support animals. For instance, they are often told they cannot have their assistance animal with them in their home. Or they are told they cannot come into a public place with their service animal.

Another common problem is that they must “prove” their assistance animal is not a pet before being allowed into a public place. DRNC can help with all of these access problems. Our community inclusion team works to increase awareness of the rights of assistance animals and their handlers.

How we help improve access for people with assistance animals

  • Educating lawmakers how new guidelines or laws would affect people with assistance animals.
  • Making public comments on those planned new guidelines and laws.
  • Representing people who are not allowed access because of their assistance animals.
  • Providing trainings to landlords, owners, and employees of public places about assistance animals.

Assistance animals – your rights at a glance

You have the right to have:

  • Your assistance animal with you in your home or temporary housing.
  • Your assistance animal with you in a shelter during a disaster.
  • Your service animal with you in your workplace and most public places.

Resources