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

Guide dogs and other service animals with current rabies certification. —Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Dec. 2024

Most of the resort's public spaces, such as the gym, restaurants, outdoor pool, and beach, have wheelchair ramps, and the property welcomes service animals. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Dec. 2024

Remember these rules and regulations apply to all animals, meaning that emotional support or service animals are expected to follow these guidelines. —Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Nov. 2024

And more owners are bringing their fur babies with them to places once reserved only for humans and service animals. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above