ISU Accessibility Spotlight: A guide to service dog etiquette

It’s important for the campus community to know the difference between service dogs and emotional support animals and ISU now has policies in place for preventing service dog discrimination.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) a service animal is defined as a dog
that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability
and the tasks performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability.
Emotional support dogs are not defined as service animals under the ADA. Under ISU
policy, emotional support animals are not permitted to attend classes or activities, including
athletic events and other policies are in place regarding them.

“Emotional support animals have their place, but there is no regulation in place that they
have to meet certain standards,” said Quincie Mattick, an ISU student who is blind and has a
service dog named Tessa.  “Sadly, in some cases, they are not trained at all and that can
sometimes put our assistive dogs – that are actually very needed for completing tasks – in
danger. If they (emotional support animals) are well-trained, I don’t have a problem, but if they
are attacking my dog, I definitely do.”

Mattick, who is a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, majoring in health
sciences, has had Tessa for four years. Tessa is 6 years old and was trained for two years.
Mattick said she has friends who are blind who have had their service dogs attacked by
emotional support animals, especially in airports. In addition to potentially endangering service
animals, emotional support dogs are sometimes giving trained service dogs a bad rap.

“Because some people assume ESA (emotional support animals) are actually service
animals, but that is not the case, it has started ruining it for us,” Mattick said. “It is frustrating,
they have kind of given service dogs a bad reputation and we have to fight harder for access to
places and that has been a struggle.”

According to the new ISU policy for preventing service dog discrimination, in situations
where it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, the ADA allows only two specific
questions to be asked to the handler:

1. “Is your dog a service animal required because of a disability?”; and
2. “What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?”

According to the policy, it is not acceptable or respectful to require identification or
certification or ask about the specific type and nature of the disability. It should not be asked to
have the service animal demonstrate training. The verbal statement of the individual should
generally be taken as sufficient proof.

If there is reason to question the legitimacy of a claim at ISU, Disability Services should
be advised, and Disability Services may be able to request additional information. Once
sufficient proof has been provided via a verbal statement, a service animal must be allowed to
remain unless the following circumstances occur:

1. The service animal is not under the control of the handler;
2. There is a risk to the public health and safety of others; or
3. The service animal is not housebroken.

 As noted above, emotional support animals are not permitted to attend ISU classes or

activities including athletic events. However, emotional support animals can potentially be a
reasonable accommodation for housing or travel.

Additionally, pets and/or companion animals are not allowed on campus unless
permission is first obtained from ISU Public Safety. Individuals can be asked to show proof of
permission from Public Safety for pets.

If you have any questions or would like further training, contact Disability Services at
(208) 282-3599 or disabilityservices@isu.edu or the Office of General Counsel at (208) 282-
3234.

Service dog etiquette: Tips on interacting with service dogs

Mattick and ISU Disability Services Director Karina Mason Rorris offered advice about
interacting with service dogs. In short, it is best not to interact with a service dog unless you have
asked permission to do so, Rorris said. Mattick expounded on why this matters.

“When service dogs are working, distracting them is a safety risk, not just an
inconvenience,” Mattick said.

Mattick said she has had people make a “tch-tch” or other sounds to Tessa and then her
dog becomes distracted.

“And if she (Tessa) gets distracted, I have to correct her and it is not fair to her,” Mattick
said.

It can also be dangerous.

“I had someone call to Tessa one time and she ended up pulling me out into a road,” she
continued. “That is a safety risk.”