What is the ADA and How it Can Help You?

As of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Department of Justice has developed laws that protect emotional support dogs and their owners. Since then, there have been multiple changes to these laws. They were designed to help protect disabled Americans and their service animals from threats and discrimination. As you may know, support and service dogs are not like a household pet. They provide support and relief to their owners and help protect them from daily obstacles. There has been past discrimination against them, hence the need for this act.

esa-dog-700

What is the ADA?

The ADA was established to protect any disabled person from discrimination. Just a few decades ago disabled persons did not have the protection that they needed, let alone have a service dog or support dog to help them along their journey. Over time, the act has been revamped to help protect against any discrimination against the individual and their animal.

Why Was the Law Developed?

Prior to the act, any person who had been diagnosed with a disability was at risk of losing their job and being discriminated against. Therefore, it was essential that reforms were put in place to protect them. Many veterans who were returning from overseas had come back with PTSD and others had suffered from lifelong psychological disabilities. That’s why the protection act was enacted— to protect these individuals and provide them with the same right as another person.

How Does This Help Your Support Dog?

Since the establishment of the ADA, the law has undergone plenty of revisions. It works to not only protect the disabled from discrimination but also their service dogs. Before there were any laws in place, owners of establishments had the right to deny service to anyone who brought their service dog with them, even if provided for medical reasons.

However, this ultimately put those who suffer from emotional trauma or psychological disabilities in harm’s way. This was not only bad for the individual but also presented a hazard to the people around them. Thus, the ADA act was revised to help allow emotional support animals to enter every establishment, despite the owner’s regulations.

However, this doesn’t mean that the owner of the establishment can’t tell you to leave if your dog is a hazard to others. This includes acting out, barking, and being detrimental to their services. This is not to be seen as discrimination as it is simply abiding by company policies and keeping their customers safe.

Conclusion

Having an act such as the ADA in place has helped thousands of individuals who suffer from disabilities keep their jobs and allow them to stay safe at all times. An act that protects not only them but also their service animals is vital to keeping their emotions in check when their mental or emotional needs get the best of them. Without this act, many disabled individuals would fail to integrate into society fully, which only would cause them more emotional trauma and isolation.