Service Animal Policy

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a set of laws that protect the right of everyone to receive equal service regardless of disability. These laws specify that service animals are permitted to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go.

The ADA defines service animals as any breed of dog that is individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding the blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals not pets. Under the ADA, emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion dogs are not considered service dogs because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task.

ARC welcomes service animals in all clinic spaces accessible to the public. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks repeatedly during a movie) or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. In the chance a service animal is out of control and the handler cannot take effective action to control it, ARC will give the person with the disability the option to obtain services without having the animal on the premises. If there are additional ways we can help you access ARC's services, please call ARC-INFO at 512-272-4636 to request a reasonable accommodation.

Inquiries concerning the application of the ADA or Rehabilitation Act to ARC may be referred to ARC-INFO at 512-272-4636 or by email.

• US Service Animals
• Service Animals and the ADA
• Texas Disability Law
• Texas Health and Human Services