• Original Reporting
  • References

The Trust Project

Original Reporting This article contains firsthand information gathered by reporters. This includes directly interviewing sources and analyzing primary source documents.
References This article includes a list of source material, including documents and people, so you can follow the story further.
An illustration of a magnifying glass, held up to a newspaper story.
(Provided by Gigafact.)

Yes.

Service dogs are trained to complete tasks directly related to a person’s disability and are allowed in most public places, even if they have a “no pets” policy, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

One exception to the rule are religious institutions and organizations, which are exempt from the ADA and may prohibit service dogs.

Emotional support, comfort and therapy animals do not count as service animals under the ADA. In Colorado, misrepresenting an animal as a service animal is a petty offense, punishable by fines up to $500 for repeat offenses.  

Service dogs can be excluded from spaces if they are not housebroken, are out of control or if their presence would “fundamentally alter” a public program or space. For example, they can be banned from parts of a zoo where they could agitate other animals. Airlines are required to allow service animals on airplanes under the Air Carrier Access Act.

See full source list below.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

The Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

References:

Service Animals, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, accessed in December 2024. Source link.

Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals and the ADA, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Feb. 28, 2020. Source link.

Laws Addressing Service Animals and Assistance Animals, Colorado Legislative Council Staff, June 2017. Source link.

Resource Guide: Requirements For Service and Assistance Animals in Colorado, Disability Law Colorado, accessed in December 2024. Source link.

Flying With a Service Animal, ADA National Network, accessed in December 2024. Source link.

Type of Story: Fact-Check

Checks a specific statement or set of statements asserted as fact.

Por recently graduated from CU Boulder with a master’s degree in journalism and is interested in writing about the environment and exploring local stories. When not working on some form of writing, Por is either looking for Thai food or petting...