service animal

American  

[sur-vis an-uh-muhl] / ˈsɜr vɪs ˌæn ə məl /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of service animal

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

She lists other unexpected post-shooting costs: a flooded basement, a service animal, a new car to get to doctor’s appointments.

From Seattle Times

To qualify as a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a dog must be “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities,” which can include everything from pulling a wheelchair to calming a person with post-traumatic stress disorder during an anxiety attack.

From Seattle Times

Wary of the initial problems with Beep, Fellows had the dog evaluated by other service dog trainers who told her Beep was too fearful to be an effective service animal, according to records she presented in court.

From Seattle Times

In 2018, the state Legislature stepped into the issue when it passed a bill to “penalize the intentional misrepresentation of a service animal.”

From Seattle Times

But a pet is not the equivalent of a trained service animal.

From Washington Post