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 or alerting an owner who is deaf to sounds)

A service animal is trained to assist a disabled person by performing specific tasks: They guide the blind, signal the hearing-impaired, pull wheelchairs and so on.

—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 latest update was developed in collaboration with leading advocacy organizations and service animal handlers. —Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 4 Feb. 2025

The agency was also ordered to update its service animal policies and provide training, according to the settlement. —Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025

Impact on Service Dog Users The misuse of service animal designations poses risks not only to passengers, but also to legitimate service dog users. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

Leashed service animals will be allowed inside the venue. —David Ulloa Jr, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above