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Am I Eligible for a Service Dog? The first thing used to determine if someone qualifies for a service dog is their need. Your disability determines who is eligible for a service dog. A lot of people born with disabilities qualify differently than those that developed a disability later on. If you have a mobility disability (such as needing a wheelchair), you would qualify for a different type of service dog than you would if you had diabetes. In many cases a doctor may need to sign off on a person’s qualifications in order to be determined eligible for [...]

One of the most common questions people ask about service dogs is "how to qualify for a service dog?" Sometimes, when a person has an invisible disability, other people or business owners question their need for one or their right to take their service dog into businesses, airplanes, etc. The ADA has specific guidelines for who qualifies for a service dog, and understanding these qualifications is key to supporting service dogs and their handlers. Qualifying for a Service Dog The ADA defines a person with a disability as individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits [...]

My service dog, Justice, is a huge part of my life. She is trained to perform tasks that are unique to my particular needs. Specifically, Justice is an alert dog: she alerts me of different sounds that I may not otherwise hear. Service dogs provide a variety of tasks based on the needs of their handler. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, service dogs are dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Let’s dive into what that means. Qualifying Service Dogs In order for a dog to [...]