Poorly Behaved Service Animals

What If The Dog Is Bad?

Quietly ask the manager to speak to the handler to remove the animal for:

• growling at patrons
• lifting its leg, urinating or marking
• barking inappropriately
• eating off the floor or tables
• unwanted approaching of other patrons
• lunging at patrons or other animals
• disruptive behavior or the dog is requiring excessive efforts from the handler to control the dog’s behavior

If the dog is not clearly identified as a service dog, through vest, harness, or other equipment, then staff may ask only the following questions:

• “Is this a service dog?”
• “What tasks does this dog provide for you?”
  • The Department of Justice does ask the business staff/manager to determine if the handler needs assistance in completing the tasks without the service dog on the premises.
  • The business staff/manager is encouraged to document the incident clearly and thoroughly. Suspected fraudulent use of a service dog can be reported to local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies.

These guidelines are also available on the website:

http://www.ada.gov