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)

A service animal is trained to assist a disabled person by performing specific tasks …

—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

The event raises money for Shelter to Soldier to rescue dogs from local shelters and train them to become service animals for post-9/11 veterans suffering from PTSD and other related injuries. —Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025

Emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals under ADA or Arizona law. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 28 Oct. 2025

The dog was immediately transported to an emergency veterinary facility and Bryant is facing charges of attempting to kill a police service animal. —The Denver Post, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, only dogs and, in some cases, miniature horses are recognized as service animals. —Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above