Can a homeless person with a service animal be denied entrance to a homeless shelter?

Can a homeless person with a service animal be denied entrance to a homeless shelter?

Can a homeless person with a service animal be denied entrance to a homeless shelter?

The answer is no. If the animal is a service animal then they must be allowed access to public buildings and public-access areas per the Americans With Disabilities Act.  To read more… http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm

This link was added 5/19/2020 https://injury.findlaw.com/accident-injury-law/service-animal-laws—resource-guide.html

These are the requirements that a service dog must meet (and only dogs and some horses can be service animals, no other pets):

  • Service dog must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, or be under voice, signal or other control.
  • These are working animals, not pets.
  • A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability (such as Blind, deaf, wheelchair bound, seizures, medications, PTSD calming).
  • Must be trained for the specific disability.
  • Must behave proper.
  • The owner can only be asked two questions:

(1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and

(2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform

  • The owner cannot be asked to provide any documentation regarding the service dog.

So if someone has a legitimate service dog, a homeless shelter cannot deny them entrance.

Please note:  People with emotional-support animals don’t have the same public-access rights as those with service dogs.

"From one animal lover to another."

Disclaimer

The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Feeding Pets of the Homeless, and Feeding Pets of the Homeless hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.