State laws Minnesota
From Service Dog Training
State laws in Minnesota.
Subd. 4.Every totally or partially blind, physically disabled, or deaf person who has a dog, or who obtains a dog, shall be entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommodations provided for in this section, and shall not be required to pay extra compensation for such service dog but shall be liable for any damage done to the premises by such service dog. History: 1971 c 70 s 1; 1977 c 247 s 2; 1986 c 444; 1988 c 637 s 1; 2005 c 56 s 1
This law provides equal access to housing for those accompanied by a service dog.
The blind, the visually disabled, and the otherwise physically disabled have the same right as the able-bodied to the full and free use of the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, and other public places; and are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, boats, or any other public conveyances or modes of transportation, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons. Every totally or partially blind, physically disabled, or deaf person or any person training a dog to be a service dog shall have the right to be accompanied by a service dog in any of the places listed in section 363A.19. The person shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by such dog. The service dog must be capable of being properly identified as from a recognized school for seeing eye, hearing ear, service, or guide dogs. History: 1969 c 900 s 2; 1977 c 247 s 1; 1984 c 655 art 1 s 42; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 141 s 1; 1989 c 108 s 1; 2005 c 56 s 1
==Overview--
This law gives equal access to all public accommodations to disabled persons accompanied by a guide, hearing or service dog. However, it requires the dog to be recognizable as being from a recognized guide, hearing or service dog school. Since the ADA provides greater protection for service dog users than the state law, the ADA's guidelines apply.
Note: This law was revised in 2005 and not in accordance with the ADA. If you are a service dog user from Minnesota, consider contacting your legislator to discuss the importance of protecting the rights of service dog users who choose not to obtain their dogs from a school.
State laws may be superseded by the ADA. For the text of the ADA, click here. For general information about service dogs, click here. If you are looking for information on service dogs in places of business, check out our Information for businesses.
All opinions and summaries on this page are my own and should not be construed as legal advice. If you are in need of advice on the state or federal laws applicable to service dogs you should contact a lawyer. Last revised 9/26/2009
