Travelers Who Have Disabilities

Individuals with disabilities who own service animals to assist them with everyday activities undoubtedly face challenges but traveling should not be one of them. Service animals (the accepted term for animals trained to help people with disabilities) are not pets and thus are not subject to many of the laws or policies pertaining to pets.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as ''any guide dog signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” ADA regulations stipulate that public accommodations are required to modify policies, practices and procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. The purpose of these regulations is to provide equal access opportunities for people with disabilities and to ensure that they are not separated from their service animals, A tow truck operator, for example, must allow a service animal to ride in the truck with her owner rather than in the towed vehicle.

Public accommodations may charge a fee or deposit to an individual who has a disability - provided that fee or deposit is required of all customers - but no fees or deposits may be charged for the service animal, even those normally charged for pets.

The handler/owner is responsible for the animal's care and behavior; if the do creates an altercation or poses a direct threat, the handler may be required to remove it from the premises and pay for any resulting damages.