Service and Emotional Support Animals
Service animals and emotional support animals play essential roles for people with physical and/or mental disabilities.
The Minnesota Human Rights Act helps ensure individuals with service animals and/or emotional support animals can live with dignity, free from discrimination in housing, employment, and public places.
If you believe you have been discriminated against, report the alleged discrimination.
Service Animals
A service animal is a dog -- or, in rare cases, a miniature horse -- that is specially trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. A service animal might guide an individual with vision impairment, detect seizures, or keep individuals calm during a panic attack.
Emotional Support Animals
An emotional support animal – sometimes called an “ESA” or “companion animal” – can be any type of animal that senses an event or helps alleviate symptoms of a disability. ESAs commonly support people who have anxiety, depression, and many other disabilities.
