What Is a Service Dog?
A service dog is a specially trained dog that helps a person with a disability perform specific tasks they cannot easily do on their own.
Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
A service dog must be trained to perform specific tasks.
The person must have a disability (physical or mental).
Service dogs are allowed in most public places.
Service dogs are not pets. They are working medical support animals.
What Do Service Dogs Do?
Service dogs can be trained to:
🦮 Physical Disabilities
Guide someone who is blind
Alert someone who is deaf
Pull a wheelchair
Pick up dropped items
Open doors
🧠Medical & Invisible Disabilities
Alert before a seizure
Detect blood sugar changes (diabetes)
Interrupt PTSD episodes
Provide grounding during panic attacks
Alert to allergens
Michigan Laws About Service Dogs
In Michigan, service dogs are protected under:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (federal law)
Michigan’s Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act
Key Points in Michigan:
âś” Service dogs can go into schools, restaurants, stores, and public buildings.
âś” Staff may ask ONLY two questions:
Is the dog required because of a disability?
What task is the dog trained to perform?
❌ They cannot ask:
About the person’s medical condition
For documentation
For the dog to demonstrate tasks
Service Dogs in Training
Michigan allows service dogs in training to have public access rights when accompanied by a trainer.