service animal

[ sur-vis an-uh-muhl ]

noun

1. an animal that is specially trained and able to provide assistance to a person with a disability, such as guiding a blind person or assisting a person with epilepsy during and after a seizure. assistance animal, therapy animal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of service animal¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Where the DOT—through the ACAA—previously classified ESAs as service animals, it now classifies them as pets and requires that airlines make no special accommodation for them.

From Outside Online

During 2017 alone, a single airline—Delta—says it flew 250,000 emotional support and service animals in its cabins.

From Outside Online

Disabled people with service animals will experience minimal changes in how they travel, aside from seeing fewer numbers of ESAs on planes.

From Outside Online

The new rule now defines a service animal to be a dog that is “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability” and limits the number of service animals a person can travel with to two.

From Washington Post

Over the years, airlines have had to accommodate a growing variety of animals as the definition of what is considered a service animal expanded to include animals that travelers said they needed for emotional and psychological support when flying.

From Washington Post