Many people use the terms “service dog” and “support animal” interchangeably, but they have different distinct roles and legal protection. A service dog is individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability, such as guiding individuals who are blind, alerting those with epilepsy to seizures, or providing stability for someone with mobility impairments. These dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are allowed in all public spaces, including: college campuses, restaurants, and public transportation.
In contrast, assistance animals, such as therapy animals, comfort animals, and emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort and companionship, but are not trained for specific tasks. While ESAs are recognized under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and may be allowed in campus housing, they do not have the same access rights as service dogs in public areas. Also, an assistance/support animal can be an animal other than a dog.
Many people with disabilities have benefitted from using service or assistance animals. Here are two stories.
Lisa Seitles : My Child’s First Service Dog
I became the mother of an exceptional child on March 1, 2021, when my then 5-year-old son Casey, near death in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). His body had silently been destroying the beta cells in his pancreas, and thus its ability to produce insulin. Managing this autoimmune disease is a complex, round-the-clock, exhausting, anxiety-provoking, and often scary job. Keeping BG (blood glucose) within range is also a high-stakes job. If extremely low BG is not corrected swiftly, it can lead to seizures, coma, and even death within hours. On the other hand, persistently above-range BG levels can lead in the near term, to life-threatening ketoacidosis or, in the longer term, slowly damage various organs and cause life-shortening complications, such as heart and kidney disease. We therefore got Casey the latest, most sophisticated technology for managing T1D. Yet as wondrous as this technology has been, its inherent limitations can foil effective care, and its periodic failures can endanger Casey, as it occasionally has. By mid-2023 we decided to get a diabetic alert dog (DAD) to provide Casey a second layer of protection. Casey’s DAD, Elvis, arrived on February 27, 2024.
Dogs’ sense of smell is far more sensitive than a human’s, enabling DADs to perceive chemical changes in the bodies of people with T1D. Not only can DADs smell low and high BG, but also when BG is rising or falling. Bowen Elite Service Dogs trained Elvis extensively for almost 2 years. For T1D in particular, they trained him to alert for BG under 80 or above 150. They did this using samples of Casey’s saliva that was captured on cotton balls taken when Casey’s BG was within specified ranges: from 40 through 80 and 150 to over 300. Elvis can detect an impending or currently out-of-range BG, even when Casey is across a soccer field, in a swimming pool, playing outside our house without him, or in a different room or on a different floor level. Elvis is trained to alert both Casey and us. With further night alert training at home, he now also alerts and fetches one of Casey’s parents, if needed, when everyone is sleeping. It is a dangerous time to miss an extreme low, because he might fall victim to the dreaded Dead in Bed Syndrome.
Elvis primarily alerts, often persistently, by placing a paw on us. To know the BG he is alerting us to, Casey does a finger stick and inserts the blood sample into a handheld glucometer. We reward Elvis for his alerts with a small treat when BG is near or below 80, or near or above 150. When Elvis alerts to a BG within the normal range, we tell him “We will watch it.” Elvis will alert again as Casey’s BG continues approaching his out-of-range thresholds. If BG is out-of-range, Elvis will continue alerting until it is back within normal range.
Elvis complements today’s electronically integrated T1D technology because he can do things that it cannot. Elvis can give us more advance warning than the CGM, by detecting BG crossing or approaching the threshold into hypo- or hyperglycemia, anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour before his CGM does. By doing so, Elvis helps us take corrective action before Casey becomes symptomatic or is in imminent danger.
Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, Elvis began accompanying Casey to school, a significant transition for them both. Having Elvis at school not only helps keep Casey safe, but has also increased Casey’s independence and dog-handling skills, while strengthening their teamwork. Casey is solely responsible for Elvis at school. He must respond to Elvis’s alerts and communicate by phone with us (his parents) as needed for guidance. He needs to go see the nurse when necessary, follow through with testing his BG after an alert or CGM alarm, reward Elvis for alerting him, treat a low BG with glucose tablets, and consult with the school nurse when BG is high. As for Elvis, it has been good for strengthening his bond with Casey by getting him to follow Casey wherever he goes and alert Casey, rather than his parents. If Elvis is not alerting as he should while adjusting to the school environment, Casey must encourage him to alert by saying, “What is it?” until he does.
Casey already contends with a challenging, demanding disease. He has learned how to handle much of his T1D technology and aspects of his care, such as: testing his BG with finger sticks, acting on BG alarms, inserting the insulin pump and CGM needles into his body, counting carbs, keeping all his medical equipment charged, informing me of urgent notifications, such as his CGM expiring or his pump running out of insulin, and carrying both routine and emergency T1D supplies with him everywhere. Now, he is learning to be a handler of the first service dog ever in his school district, all this at only 9 years old.
I am the proud parent of an exceptional child, now teamed up with an exceptional dog.
Dr. Josie Badger : Vito Went to High School and College
I got my first service dog, Vito, when I was a junior in high school which gave us a full year of working together as a team before moving to college. As an individual who relies on a ventilator and power scooter, Vito served as my hands, legs, and social connector. Although the direct services that he provided were invaluable, he also served as a conduit to creating relationships. Vito graduated from high school, college, and with a Masters and a doctorate with me.
Service Dog Policies on College Campuses
Under the ADA, colleges must allow service dogs in classrooms, dormitories, and other public spaces. However, students may need to register their service dog with the campus disability services office. The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights ensures that institutions comply with these regulations. The schools may have policies regarding dog behavior and care responsibilities. According to the U.S. Justice Department’s interpretation of the ADA, a service dog can be any breed. The ADA regulations allow for the use of trained miniature horses as service animals, under certain circumstances.
The Accessibility Services department at Felician University provided insight into their process for allowing service dogs on campus for students with disabilities. According to the department, staff members may only ask two specific questions when they are unsure if the dog is a service animal.
(1) Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
(2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
According to the ADA, “staff members are not permitted to request documentation for the dog, require the dog to demonstrate its task, inquire about the nature of the person’s disability,” nor not allowed to ask questions regarding a student’s medical history. Unlike emotional support animals, no paperwork is required for a service dog, as these animals are trained to perform specific tasks for their handlers.
Service dogs are always allowed to accompany their handlers, including in classrooms, cafeterias, and other public areas where students need to go. Although service dogs may wear a vest to indicate that they are working, the ADA does not require this. It is considered best practice for individuals not to pet a service dog unless the handler grants permission, as this can distract the dog from its duties.
Felician University stated that while there are currently no students with a service dog on campus, they have had students with service dogs in the past, primarily veterans. For students residing in dormitories, the university ensures that accommodations are made by pairing them with roommates who are not allergic to dogs.
In addition to supporting students with service animals, Felician University has its own ESA (emotional support animal), a miniature poodle named Franco, who is available to students attending counseling sessions. Franco is also brought around during stressful periods, like during final exams, to provide emotional support. Franco was brought in as part of the Counseling and Wellness department in April 2024 as a puppy.
For students seeking approval for an ESA (emotional support animal), the process differs from that of a service dog. Students must provide documentation from a healthcare provider, obtain approval from a veterinarian, and ensure the animal receives the necessary vaccinations, and be able to provide proof of vaccination. Unlike service dogs, ESAs must remain in dormitories and are generally not permitted in classrooms or common areas.
The ADA provides comprehensive information, guidelines, laws, and regulations regarding service dogs. For more information about the ADA and service dogs, visit ADA.gov or contact the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (Voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY). Calls are confidential and answered by ADA Specialists. •
Sources:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): www.ada.gov
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): www.hud.gov
Assistance Dogs International (ADI): www.assistancedogsinternational.org
Felician University: https://felician.edu
Service and Assistance Animals : Know Your Rights
American Humane Society
Definition of a Service Dog vs. Emotional Support Animal vs. Therapy Dog
www.americanhumane.org/app/uploads/2018/05/Definition-of-Service-Dog_3_7_18.compressed.pdf
ADA National Network
Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal: What's the Difference?
https://adata.org/service-animal-resource-hub/differences
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals Where are they allowed and under what conditions?
https://adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals
Legal Brief: Service Animals and Individuals with Disabilities Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
https://adata.org/legal_brief/legal-brief-service-animals-and-individuals-disabilities-under-americans-disabilities
ada.gov
www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals
ADA Requirements: Service Animals
www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements
Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Yadiria “Jennie” Jimenez is a Youth Engagement Specialist at SPAN.
Lisa Seitles has a master’s degree in early childhood education, and proudly co-owns Read Preschool and Camp Tuscaloosa with her husband. She and her husband Sam have four children, Jaiden (11), Casey (9), Ashton (7), and Sora (5), and Casey’s diabetic alert dog Elvis. She is a passionate advocate for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). She contributed monthly articles in her column Perspective: Type 1 Diabetes to her town’s newspaper, The Hammonton Gazette, for over 3 years, speaks on podcasts, volunteers and fundraises for Breakthrough T1D, helps initiate, create and host large community events that bring T1D awareness, and provides a safe and happy school and summer experience for students and campers, including campers with T1D. She has been recognized by both Breakthrough T1D and the Hammonton Lions Club for her advocacy and community service. She is currently working on tying her articles about T1D into a book to help others. She can be reached at lisaseitles@outlook.com
Josie Badger is the Executive Director of national RAISE (Resources for Access, Independence, Self-Determination, & Employment).
Lauren Agoratus, M.A. is the NJ Coordinator for Family Voices, NJ Regional Coordinator for the Family-to-Family Health Information Center, and Product Development Coordinator for RAISE (Resources for Advocacy, Independence, Self-Determination, and Employment). She also serves as NJ representative for the Caregiver Community Action Network as a volunteer. Nationally, Lauren has served on the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities transplant committee (antidiscrimination), Center for Health Care Strategies Medicaid Workgroup on Family Engagement, Family Advisor for Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs National Research Network, National Quality Forum-Pediatric Measures Steering Committee, and Population Health for Children with Medical Complexity Project-UCLA. She has written blogs and articles nationally, including publications in 2 academic journals (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=agoratus+l). Lauren was named a Hero Advocate by Exceptional Parent Magazine (www.epmagazine.com Archives June 2022).
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