Wondering about service dog public access rights in Minneapolis?

I'm training my own service dog and I'm nervous about taking her into stores and restaurants. What are the rules? Can businesses ask me for proof? I don't want to get into a confrontation, but I also don't want to leave her at home when I need her.

Under the ADA and Minnesota law, your service dog can go almost anywhere you go—and businesses can only ask two questions.

Here’s what you need to know: service dogs are allowed in restaurants, retail stores, hotels, hospitals, public transportation, and government buildings. Minnesota law goes even further than federal ADA protections as well. It also grants full public access rights to service dogs in training too.

Businesses can only ask you two things: (1) Is this service dog required because of a disability? and (2) What task is the dog trained to perform?

Those are the only questions which businesses are allowed to ask. They cannot ask you about your diagnosis, demand documentation, or require your dog to demonstrate a task. There’s no official certification or registry for service dogs, and you should be aware of any sites that sell them—this is a common scam.

The only time a business can ask you to leave is if your dog is out of control and you are not addressing it, or if the dog isn’t housebroken. Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons, under Minnesota law, to deny access.

If you’re preparing for public access, Dog Training Elite Twin Cities can help. We train service dogs for real-world environments.

Also read: PTSD Service Dog Training