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Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024

Fact brief: Are service animals considered pets in Texas?

Georgie London, Fort Worth Report
no

Federal and Texas laws designate service animals as assistance animals, not pets. 

Only dogs can be considered service animals, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. They must be trained to do work or perform tasks that benefit individuals with physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or mental disabilities.

The ADA states an example of a service animal task is a dog retrieving objects for a person in a wheelchair.

The Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990 and was amended in 2008.

The act protects those with disabilities from discrimination during activities, in the workplace, while purchasing products and services, and having access to government programs and participation.

The ADA classifies people with disabilities as individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that limits at least one major life activity, have a history or record of impairments or is perceived to have an impairment.

See a full discussion of this at Fort Worth Report

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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.

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