Air Carrier Access Act Technical Assistance Manual (2005)

Service Animal:

Any animal that is individually trained or able to provide assistance to a qualified person with a disability or any animal shown by documentation to be necessary for the emotional well being of a passenger. With respect to emotional support animals, although carriers may require documentation to verify that an animal is an emotional support animal, such documentation is not required under the law.

Dogs, cats, and monkeys are among those that have been individually trained and act as service animals. Service animals may assist people with disabilities by, for example:

• guiding persons with vision impairments;

• alerting persons with deafness to specific sounds;

• alerting persons with epilepsy of imminent seizure onset;

• pulling a wheelchair;

• assisting persons with mobility impairments with balance; and

• providing emotional support for persons with disabilities. [Sec. 382.55]