service animal

noun

plural service animals

: a domesticated animal and usually a dog that is trained to perform a supportive function for its owner (such as guiding an owner who is blind or alerting an owner who is deaf to sounds)

A service animal is trained to assist a disabled person by performing specific tasks: They guide the blind, signal the hearing-impaired, pull wheelchairs and so on.

—Cecil Adams

Now, service animals help people with a variety of conditions, such as autism, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.

—Suzy Fleming Leonard

Michael was able to be retrained as a psychological service animal for Bessler, helping him deal with his traumatic brain injury.

—Alexandra Klausner

Note: Some government agencies (such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) have official definitions of service animal that are more restrictive than the term's meaning in general English.

Examples of service animal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Baird also strongly advises against visitors bringing service animals down into the canyon while excessive heat warnings are in place, as temperatures on the ground can be too dangerous for pets to walk on. —Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 8 June 2024

The terminal also offers 10 nursing rooms, service animal relief areas, all-inclusive play areas for children, and a sensory room—a calming space for neurodivergent travelers. —Caitlin Morton, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2023

Elevators, accessible entrances, and accessible food and beverage outlets can be found throughout the property, and service animals are welcome. —Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2024

The company is differentiating itself from commercial airlines where small dogs or service animals join their human companions, instead making the flight experience dog-first. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 24 May 2024

No pets or emotional support animals are allowed inside the market except for working service animals. —Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2024

His trainers will eventually help the agency train him as a facility psychiatric service animal, and if all goes according to plan, PeeDee will get his certification by the end of the year. —Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2024

Anyone who fraudulently misrepresents a service animal can be guilty of a misdemeanor. —Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 18 May 2024

Pet Policy: No pets are permitted, other than service animals. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above