Person with service animals and the human rights code
fact Sheet
A service animal is trained to assist a person with a disability. The work or task(s) performed by a service animal must be directly related to a person’s physical or mental disability. Animals that provide comfort and companionship and that are not trained to assist with a person’s disability, are not service animals.
- A person with a service animal has the right to enter a restaurant, store or other place where the public, customers or guests are generally allowed, including transportation such as buses and taxis.
- Users of service animals have a visible or an invisible disability.
- A service dog usually has an identifying harness. If a business operator is not sure if animal with a customer is a service animal or a pet, they may ask if the animal is required due to a disability.
- No one should interact with or feed a service animal unless they are given permission by the service animal owner to do so.
- “No pet” policies must not be applied to service animals. Hotel/motel operators/landlords should not require a deposit or charge a cleaning fee for a service animal, even where such deposits or fees are required for pets.
- The preference of other customers is not a valid reason to restrict service to a customer with a service animal.
- A person with a service animal has responsibilities including controlling the animal
