New York State Service Dog Requirements

The department has staff in albany and inspectors and veterinarians located across the state who administer.

New york state service dog requirements. Definitions under article 7 licensing identification and control of dogs. Definitions service dog means any dog that has been or is being individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability provided that the dog is or will be owned by such person or that person s parent guardian or other legal representative. New york s civil rights law requires public facilities to allow guide dogs service dogs and hearing dogs. Emotional support animals do not have an automatic legal right to be accommodated in the workplace in new york.

Service dog fraud will not be tolerated in new york state which recently passed a law prohibiting the misrepresentation of service dogs. Effective december 18 2017 new york became the latest state to enact a law cracking down on fake service animals. A service dog is a dog that has been or is being trained to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability including psychiatric disabilities. The law effective december 18 2017 makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly affix to any dog any false or improper tag identifying the dog as a guide service therapy or hearing dog.

New york state agriculture and markets article 7 section 108 defines the following. Extra charges cannot be made due to the presence of the dog but if the dog causes damage to the premises the dog user is. The department s division of animal industry is responsible for ensuring animal and public health through control and eradication of infectious and contagious diseases in new york state livestock and poultry and implementation of pre harvest food safety measures at the farm level. Rights law state crl art.

A primary difference between service dogs and esas is that service dogs perform trained tasks to help with a disability whereas esas do not require training and provide emotional support just through their presence. New york recently joined an increasing number of states that have passed laws aimed at curbing abuse of laws and regulations designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities can be accompanied by their service animals in places of public accommodation. State human rights law state hrl n y. Read more service dog laws in new york.

New york state recognizes only dogs as service animals in places of public accommodation but recognizes that other species may be service animals in a reasonable accommodation context in employment.