To access public places, a service animal must be under control and must not pose a health or safety hazard. 

In food establishments, service animals are allowed in areas that are open to customers. They are prohibited from areas used for food preparation. 

In patient rooms, service animals are allowed. They may be prohibited from sterile areas such as operating rooms, and from other areas where they pose a health or safety risk.

A business is not required to allow an emotional support animal onto its premises. However, a business or government office can choose to allow emotional support animal access. 

Training a service animal is often an ongoing process. That’s why if the service animal in training is both conducting a task and is under control, a public place must allow the animal onto its premises. 

If the hotel normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, then the entity may charge a person with a disability for any damage caused by their service animal. 

However, the entity cannot charge any type of fee or surcharge simply for having a service animal, even if it normally charges a fee for people accompanied by a pet.

If it is not obvious the service animal in question is not a service animal, staff can ask two questions: 

• Is the animal required because of a disability? 

• What task has the animal been trained to perform? 

Staff can never:

• Ask details about the person's disability. 

• Demand any paperwork. 

• Ask for a demonstration of the task(s) the animal is trained to perform. 

While it is unlawful for any person to misrepresent an animal as a service animal in order to gain special rights or privileges at a restaurant or other public place, businesses should ensure that stereotypes and assumptions do not result in discrimination against individuals with disability who have a legal right to access.

 A service animal can be excluded from a business or other public place if allowing it would fundamentally alter the nature of the services, programs, or activities it offers to the public. For example, services animals can be restricted from areas at zoos where the animals on display are the natural prey or predators of dogs. 

A service animal can always be excluded if it is not under its handler’s control, if it acts in an aggressive manner, or if it otherwise poses a threat to health or safety.