service animal

noun

plural service animals

: a domesticated animal and usually a dog that is trained to perform a supportive function for its owner (such as guiding an owner who is blind or alerting an owner who is deaf to sounds)

A service animal is trained to assist a disabled person by performing specific tasks: They guide the blind, signal the hearing-impaired, pull wheelchairs and so on.—

Cecil Adams

Now, service animals help people with a variety of conditions, such as autism, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.—

Suzy Fleming Leonard

Michael was able to be retrained as a psychological service animal for Bessler, helping him deal with his traumatic brain injury.—

Alexandra Klausner

Note: Some government agencies (such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) have official definitions of service animal that are more restrictive than the term's meaning in general English.

Examples of service animal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are also elevators on each floor, accessible entrances, and service animals are welcome throughout the property. —

Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2024 According to Honolulu Airport policy, all dogs except service animals, detection dogs, or those confined for shipment or in a carrier are not allowed to be in the terminals. —

Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 24 July 2024 Police said there are no pets allowed; only service animals. —

Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 12 July 2024 Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals. —

David Faris, Newsweek, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for service animal

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'service animal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of service animal was in 1988

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Service animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/service%20animal. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

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