The ADA Defines a Service Dog as "any dog that
is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical,
sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability."
Service Dogs are allowed to accompany their handler
anywhere that the general public is allowed to go including; restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters, department stores, zoos, planes, buses, trains, cruises,
taxi cabs, etc.
There are a few exceptions where a Service Dog is
not automatically granted access:
1) churches (The church can approve or deny a Service
Dog)
2) Indian Reservations
3) Federal Courtrooms (it is up to the judge whether
or not to allow the dog)
4) Clean rooms (think operating rooms, places where
microchips are made)
5) Food prep areas (restaurant kitchens)
6) Private clubs (country clubs)
7) Areas of the hospital where clean precautions
are taken (if a person has to put on a gown, shoe covers, etc...)
8) Labor and Delivery (up to the doctors)
9) Private Homes (meaning your friend doesn't have
to let you bring your Service Dog over if they don't want to, but their land lord can not prohibit you)
10) Jail or prison cells (at the warden's discretion)
11) Anywhere where the presence of the dog fundamentally
alters the nature of the business. (This is RARE but an example would be that a zoo could prohibit a dog from entering certain
sections of the zoo like a petting zoo because the dog would cause either a prey or "fight or flight" reaction in the animals).
