Service Animal Etiquette

1. Please speak first to the person. It's correct manners!

2. Petting the service animal.
Do not touch either the service animal or its person without first asking permission. Touching the service animal might distract it from its work. Touching the person might be interpreted as assault. Many animals are very protective of their human partners.

3. Feeding the service animal.
Resist the temptation to offer treats to the service animal. Many service animals are on special diets.

4. Barking, meowing, whistling, and making other rude noises at the service animal.  Don't. You'll look foolish.

5. Conversing with the person about the service animal, disabilities, other animals you have known.
Questions of a personal nature should be avoided. If the person volunteers information, you may decide if you wish to continue the conversation. Don't feel offended if the person declines to talk about himself/herself or the service animal - not everyone wants to be a walking "show and tell" exhibit.

6. What if you don't like animals or are afraid of animals?
Place yourself away from the service animal. If you are a business person, discreetly arrange for someone else to wait on the person. You may ask the person to have the service animal lie down on the individual’s lap if it does not interfere with its work.

7. What if the service animal meows, hisses, barks, growls, whinnies, or otherwise forgets its manners?
Find out what happened before taking action. Was the service animal stepped on, poked, asleep and dreaming, performing its job? If the animal's behavior is disruptive or destructive, you may ask the person to remove it from the premises.

8. What if other people complain about the animal being present?
Explain that the service animal is medically necessary and that federal law protects the right of the person to be accompanied by a service animal in public places.