SERVICE DOGS
PATIENTS AND GUESTS ACCOMPANIED BY A SERVICE DOG
At our Center, ensuring a patient’s well-being takes precedence. Kindly adhere to the guidelines provided when arriving with your service dog.
WHAT IS A SERVICE DOG?
Service dogs are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting a person who is having a seizure, etc. Service dogs are working animals, NOT pets. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of people with disabilities to bring their service dogs with them to most public places.
WHAT IS AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL?
Emotional support animals are companion animals who help their disabled owners cope with the challenges associated with emotional and mental health conditions by providing comfort with their presence. Unlike service and therapy dogs, ESAs are not trained to perform specific tasks related to their owner’s mental or emotional disabilities. Emotional support animals are NOT allowed in public places and are not covered under the ADA or Arizona State Law.
WHAT IS A THERAPY DOG?
Therapy dogs are certified or registered to visit hospitals, long-term care facilities, treatment centers, schools, and other settings to benefit people in need. While typically trained in basic obedience skills, therapy dogs (or “comfort dogs”) are not trained to perform disability-related tasks. Therapy dogs bring joy and comfort to others. Therapy dogs do NOT have public access rights under the ADA and Arizona Laws and are only allowed in facilities by invitation/agreement.
CAN I BRING MY SERVICE DOG TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Some of our patients and staff have serious health conditions that cause severe reactions to animal dander, hair, and more. Dogs can be very triggering to them which can cause them to go into anaphylactic shock. Therefore, the Center for Complex Neurology, EDS & POTS asks you to make prior arrangements for your service dog to remain outside or with someone in your vehicle during your appointment to ensure the safety of all our staff and patients.