Should the ADA certify service animals?

Service animals seem to be in the news a lot lately and the stories indicate either confusion about or an unwillingness to recognize what service animals are. It’s not simply a matter of what the service animal is--be it a dog, a miniature horse, a monkey, or a parrot. The questions are about the tasks being performed and whether the animal is truly a service animal.

For instance, an Illinois public school district was sued by the parents of an autistic child after the school district banned the child’s service dog from entering the classroom. A judge granted a preliminary injunction against the school district but the child will have to start school without the dog since the judge believed it would be unfair for the dog to start without further discussion between the parties. (No date was set for the dog to enter the classroom.)

The school district argued the dog was not a service dog and not part of the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). The school district claimed that, because of this, the district had not been able to ascertain if the dog was necessary for the student to obtain an adequate and appropriate education. The district also argued the dog’s presence was an unfair burden to the rest of the students. Another student’s parent testified that her child had severe allergies that would prevent her from attending class if the dog were present.

In Texas, a university student claimed he needed his “doctor-ordered, therapy dog” for “emotional support,” but has run into the university’s “no-pets” policy. The university argued the student had not proven he is disabled or that his dog is a certified service dog. The student claimed to have provided the necessary documentation but--still no dog.

Then there’s always the question of whether the animal is truly a service animal. Litigation is currently pending in Canada where a dog owner has filed suit against the owners of a food store claiming they discriminated against him by not allowing him to bring his service dog into the store. The store’s owners argue that they were suspicious because the dog, a teacup Chihuahua, was not really a service animal. While the dog owner had a prescription sheet describing the dog as a service animal, the dog did not have any special harness, muzzle or markings and did not behave like a service animal. What’s more, the dog owner usually carried the dog in his arms. The dog owner claimed to suffer panic attacks and episodes of claustrophobia.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers and private businesses that serve the public are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities who use service animals trained to provide assistance.

Although these stories do not involve employer-employee relationships, employers undoubtedly share some of the same concerns. How do you recognize whether an animal is truly a service animal? Would the presence of one employee’s service animal cause problems for other employees or for the employer?

While the ADA does provide a definition for a service animal (any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability), the ADA does not license or certify service animals. The Department of Justice does, however, offer guidelines regarding service animals.

Would it help employers if the ADA provided more specifics regarding service animals such as what animals could be service animals or what tasks must be performed (i.e., guidance for a blind or visually impaired person, guidance for deaf individuals)? What if the ADA were amended to provide licensing or certification of service animals? Would that help employers avoid litigation in similar situations?