Requirements For A Service Dog In Texas

Service animal defined by title ii and title iii of the ada.
Requirements for a service dog in texas. Dog and cat breeders are regulated by the texas department of licensing and regulation p o. In the case that there are any damages caused by the service dog this will become the responsibility of the person using the animal. Service dogs are not required to be registered or certified by the state of texas. Texas law also states that individuals with disabilities have the right to bring their service animals on public transportation and they are not required to pay an extra fare for the service dog and the individual and their service dog may not be separated.
Under texas s human resources code a service animal or an assistance animal is a dog that is specially trained to assist someone with a disability and is actually used by a person with a disability. Meet the minimum standards for housing and sanitation set by the texas board of health in texas administrative code chapter 169 rabies control and eradication rabies. To help you understand the updated law and your rights the texas council for developmental disabilities is sharing 14 facts about the service dog law. Box 12157 austin texas 78711 1 800 803 9202 512 463 6599 www tdlr texas gov or a similar statement adopted by commission rule that includes the department s name mailing address telephone numbers and internet.
These updates took effect on january 1 2014. Service animals defined in texas. Check out the official laws here. Texas disability law service dogs.
Animal shelter requirements according to chapter 823 of the texas health and safety code animal shelters in a county in texas with a population greater than 75 000 must. Last summer lawmakers updated some of texas laws about service dogs. The americans with disabilities act is a federal law that clearly states service dogs are allowed to accompany their handler in public places by simply stating their dog is a service dog. Read on to learn which animals qualify as service animals which public accommodations must allow them and more.
2 the following statement. State employees are permitted to ten days of paid leave to attend a training program which will familiarize them with a service dog. This chapter defines assistance animal and service animal under texas law and prohibits discrimination providing penalties. Requires evacuation transport and temporary shelter of service animals in a disaster.
Requires public facilities and common transportation carriers to admit a person with a disability accompanied by a service dog for assistance and also to admit a trainer of service dogs accompanied by a dog for training purposes.