[Nyagdu] USDA Report On Service Animals in zoos

Thu Oct 1 18:24:41 UTC 2009

Well since I have been to both the aquariums at coney island as well as the 
one here in riverhead, the guide dogs are trained as puppies and I know 
other handlers do go there, and I have been to the aquarium in Atlanta in 
2007 for convention as well as the Bronx zoo with no issues at all, but this 
is nice to know.

Cheryl Echevarria

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margo and Arrow" <margo.downey at verizon.net>
To: "New York Association of Guide Dog Users" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 2:20 PM
Subject: [Nyagdu] USDA Report On Service Animals in zoos

> Animal Welfare Information Center Newsletter, Winter 1995/1996, Vol. 6 No. 
> 2- 4 Americans with Disabilities Act and Its Applicability to Zoos
> by Richard Crawford, D. V. M., Animal Welfare Information Center, USDA
> The Americans With Disabilities Act ( ADA) recently became effective and 
> is applicable to facilities and areas of public access. The Regulatory 
> Enforcement and Animal Care staff in the U. S. Department of Agriculture's 
> ( USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service became involved in the 
> application of the ADA to zoos and its potential conflict with the Animal 
> Welfare Act in regard to the use of service animals ( for example, seeing 
> eye dogs) in zoos. Meetings were held with USDA's Office of the General 
> Counsel and with attorneys from the Civil Rights Division, Department of 
> Justice, to work out a way to handle such conflicts and comply with the 
> ADA. A position statement was provided by the Department of Justice in 
> regard to the use of service animals in public areas and is reprinted 
> below for the guidance of facilities that allow public access.
> The Application of the ADA to Zoo Policies on Service Animals " Zoos and 
> other facilities where animals are exhibited are subject to the 
> requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act ( ADA). One of the 
> underlying goals of the ADA is to foster the independence and self- 
> sufficiency of individuals with disabilities. Service animals allow many 
> individuals with disabilities to be self- reliant. Refusing to allow 
> service animals in a place of public accommodation is not permissible 
> under the ADA absent evidence that such animals pose a real threat to safe 
> operation of the facility.
> The ADA requires zoos and other facilities to make reasonable 
> modifications in their regular policies, practices, and procedures when 
> necessary to afford an individual with disability the same goods, 
> services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations offered to 
> others. Generally, zoos and other facilities must permit the use of a 
> service animal by an individual with a disability. Any limitations on the 
> use of service animals in zoos and other facilities where animals are 
> exhibited must be shown by the zoo to be necessary for safe operation.
> Each facility needs to make its own analysis of its circumstances, and the 
> determinations are very likely to differ from facility to facility 
> depending on the types of animals and the configurations of the 
> facilities. Facilities that wish to restrict service animals in any way 
> should make a careful assessment of each area to determine where safety 
> concerns justify restricting the access of persons with their service 
> animals. Unsubstantiated fears about potential risks will not suffice to 
> justify the exclusion of service animals from areas open to the general 
> public."
> It is not likely that a total ban of service animals from the entire 
> facility can ever be justified. There are many zoo facilities that permit 
> service animals in all parts of their facilities apparently without 
> problems.
> This article appeared in the Animal Welfare Information Center Newsletter, 
> Volume 6, Number 2- 4, Winter 1995/1996 AWIC Newsletter: Americans with 
> Disabilities Act and Its Applicability to Zoos Page 1 of 2
> http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v6n2/6n2ada.htm 9/8/2009
> Go to: Contents, Animal Welfare Information Center Newsletter Top of 
> Document
> The Animal Welfare Information Center U. S. Department of Agriculture 
> Agricultural Research Service National Agricultural Library 10301 
> Baltimore Ave. Beltsville, MD 20705- 2351
> Phone: ( 301) 504- 6212 FAX: ( 301) 504- 7125 Contact us:
> http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/contact.php
> Policies and Links November 5, 1997
> This page's URL is 
> http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v6n2/6n2ada.htm
> AWIC Newsletter: Americans with Disabilities Act and Its Applicability to 
> Zoos Page 2 of 2
> http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v6n2/6n2ada.htm 9/8/2009
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