Q:        What are the laws that apply to my business?

A:        Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law c. 272, § 98A, businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities, are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. Among other things, these laws require businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed.  Discrimination by a business against persons with disabilities is also a violation of the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act, G.L. c. 93A.

Service animals are also protected under state and federal fair housing and employment discrimination laws as well as rules that apply to entities that receive federal funds or federal contracts.

Q:        What is a service animal?

A:        The ADA defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.  If the animal meets this definition, the animal is considered a service animal.  The animal does not have to be licensed or certified as a service animal. Reasonable accommodation is required for miniature horses as well; however, a business is allowed to consider the horse’s size, and how well it is controlled.  State law protects dogs being used, or in training to be used, for people who are blind, deaf or physically handicapped.

Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him or her. "Seeing eye dogs" for example, that assist individuals who are blind are a common type of service animal. But there are service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities. Some examples include:

  • Alerting persons with hearing impairments to sound
  • Assisting persons with mobility impairments with balance
  • Alerting a person with a epilepsy, diabetes or a psychiatric disability to health changes that need immediate attention

Other laws, including fair housing and employment discrimination laws, allow animals other than dogs and miniature horses and animals that do not have training, such as “emotional support animals” if it is a reasonable accommodation for a disability.  If your business has a grant or contract funded by the federal government, you should check with your funding source for applicable rules.



A:        Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you are allowed to ask (1) if it is a service animal required because of a disability, or (2) what tasks the animal performs.  You cannot ask for documentation or certification that it is a service animal.





Q:        I always have had a clearly posted "no pets" policy at my establishment. Do I still have to allow service animals in?



Q:        My county health department has told me that only a seeing eye or guide dog has to be admitted but not dogs that help people with other disabilities. If I follow those regulations, am I violating the ADA?

A:        Yes.  Service dogs are not just seeing eye or guide dogs for people who are blind.  They can include dogs for people with epilepsy or mobility impairments or other disabilities.  Also, the ADA provides greater protection for individuals with disabilities and takes priority over local or state laws or regulations.



A:        No.  Businesses cannot impose a deposit or surcharge on an individual with a disability as a condition for allowing a service animal to accompany the individual with a disability, even if deposits are routinely required for pets.  However, businesses and other places of public accommodation may charge any customer who causes damage to property including any damage caused by a service animal. For example, a hotel may charge a guest with a disability for the cost of repairing or cleaning furniture by a service animal if it is the hotel's policy to charge when non-disabled guests cause such damage.  However, a hotel cannot impose a general “pet fee” for service animals.






A:        No. The care and supervision of a service animal is solely the responsibility of his or her owner. You are not required to provide care, food or a special location for the animal. You may designate an area for owners to take their animal to relieve itself.


Q:        What if a service animal barks or growls at other people or otherwise acts out of control?


Although a public accommodation may exclude any service animal that is out of control, it should give the individual with a disability using the service animal the option of continuing to enjoy the public accommodation without the service animal on the premises.


Q:        Can I exclude an animal that doesn't really seem dangerous, but is disruptive to my business?

A:        There may be a few circumstances when a public accommodation is not required to accommodate a service animal—for example, when doing so would result in a fundamental alteration to the nature of the business. Generally, this is not likely to occur in restaurants, hotels, retail stores, theaters, concert halls, and sports facilities. However a dog that barks in a movie theater can be excluded because the barking fundamentally alters the nature of other customers’ movie-going experience.


Q:        I heard that business no longer has to accept animals other than dogs and miniature horses.  Am I required to allow tenants in my apartment building to have animals other than dogs and miniature horses?

A:        There are broader protections for service animals under state and federal fair housing laws.  Service animals can include many types of animals beyond dogs, including for example, cats, birds and rabbits.  Tenants with disabilities who live or seek to live in an apartment, multi-family house, condo, or townhouse with three or more units for rent or sale, may be allowed to live there with their service animal if they can show with sufficient documentation that the animal mitigates the disability.  Residents cannot be charged a pet fee for their service animal.