Based on a recent conversation with a veteran who has a VERY small service dog, with all the appropriate training and documentation, I can tell you that they come in all sizes based in part on what kind of service they perform. In law, I was told, only dogs and miniature horses can qualify as service animals that MUST be admitted with the owner to public spaces. Even though some kinds of monkeys are also trained as service animals, they are not called out in law as having blanket admission with their owners.

This veteran noted that service animals are well trained to be quiet and calm unless they need to make a commotion to perform their service. An animal that is jumping around, etc., not being quietly attentive, in not likely to be a true service animal. Emotional support animals are not trained to that level and may not be trained at all.

Earlier in this tread it was suggested that part of the process of dealing with service animals should be to learn what sort of service they provide. Based on that information you may be able to suggest, and the owner may agree, to “park” them in a nearby location while doing lab work.

Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY

PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com

I've seen the service dogs and they are not miniatures. To have them in lab can only occupy space so they would need to be counted as one body in the lab and thus reduce the lab enrollment by one student. I think I would tell a student who wanted to have a service horse to change majors. There is no room in an academic lab for an animal that size.

What next - a service elephant??

Joe C