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
Cecil AdamsNow, service animals help people with a variety of conditions, such as autism, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.—Suzy Fleming Leonard
Suzy Fleming LeonardMichael was able to be retrained as a psychological service animal for Bessler, helping him deal with his traumatic brain injury.—Alexandra Klausner
Alexandra KlausnerNote: 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
Firehouse Animal Health Center locations gave families with pets or service animals free care.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 1 Jan. 2025
While the resort is not generally pet-friendly, service animals are welcome.
—Shea Peters, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2024
The airline also allows service animals, but its policy specifies that therapy and emotional support animals must fly as pets.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
For service animals assisting people with disabilities, dogs are often permitted to accompany their owner in the cabin without a carrier, though documentation is required.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for service animal 
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Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 1 Jan. 2025
While the resort is not generally pet-friendly, service animals are welcome.
—Shea Peters, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2024
The airline also allows service animals, but its policy specifies that therapy and emotional support animals must fly as pets.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
For service animals assisting people with disabilities, dogs are often permitted to accompany their owner in the cabin without a carrier, though documentation is required.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for service animal
Dictionary Entries Near service animal
Cite this Entry
“Service animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/service%20animal. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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