NOTE: Throughout this web site, the names of clients and their dogs have been changed, and the faces of clients have been hidden, to protect their identities.

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has provided broad protections for disabled persons, including those who use a companion or service dog. Further, handlers of these dogs are not required to carry documentation from a trainer, and the dogs do not have to be formally certified. It is illegal under the ADA for a dog handler to be required to reveal her/his disability which entitles him/her to have a service dog. For further information on the ADA, consult the U.S. Department of Justice's website at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm