Every Service Dog Gets Two Bites: Reasonable Access And Reasonable Accommodation Obligations Under The ADA

As American workers continue returning to the office and facilities across the country continue to reopen following pandemic-induced closures, service and support animals are becoming increasingly present in our workplaces. These animals, particularly dogs, help people with disabilities by performing tasks such as guiding the blind, alerting the deaf, assisting with movement, notifying people of physiological changes like elevated blood pressure or lowered blood sugar, and providing comfort to people with psychiatric conditions. The presence of these animals in the workplace presents employers and business owners with distinctly different obligations under Titles I and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).