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
Please don't forget to bring supplies to care for your pet or service animal, including food, a leash, a carrier, and medication, if needed.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Mejia said service animals are typically trained extensively to remain calm and focused in various environments.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
In a federal complaint, the Department of Justice said Uber drivers routinely refuse to serve people with disabilities, including riders who travel with service animals or stowable wheelchairs.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
The department’s civil rights division alleged in a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in northern California that Uber drivers routinely refuse to accommodate passengers who travel with service animals or who use stowable wheelchairs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for service animal
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MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Mejia said service animals are typically trained extensively to remain calm and focused in various environments.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
In a federal complaint, the Department of Justice said Uber drivers routinely refuse to serve people with disabilities, including riders who travel with service animals or stowable wheelchairs.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
The department’s civil rights division alleged in a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in northern California that Uber drivers routinely refuse to accommodate passengers who travel with service animals or who use stowable wheelchairs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for service animal
Cite this Entry
“Service animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/service%20animal. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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