In New Jersey, the LAD requires public accommodations to allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by their service or guide dogs. The law defines a guide dog as a dog specially trained by a recognized organization to assist someone who is blind or deaf.
Under New Jersey law, the definition of "service dog" is a dog that is individually trained to meet the requirements of a person's disability, including (but not limited to):
- dogs that pull wheelchairs
- dogs that retrieve dropped items
- seizure dogs, and
- dogs that do minimal protection or rescue work.
New Jersey law recognizes physical, mental, developmental, and psychological disabilities, so a dog that's individually trained to assist with any of these disabilities should qualify as a service dog.
You will be asked: (1) Is the service animal required because of a disability? and (2) What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
Emotional support animals (ESAs)—animals used by those with psychiatric or emotional disabilities do not qualify as service animals because they aren't trained to perform specific tasks for their handlers.