Del Amo Hospital, a behavioral health facility in Torrance, California, was sued in 2018 by a woman named C.L. for refusing to allow her to bring her service dog, Aspen, into the facility. C.L. has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative identity disorder (DID), and Aspen is trained to perform tasks that help her manage her symptoms.
Del Amo Hospital argued that Aspen was not a service dog because she was not certified by a professional organization. However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require service dogs to be certified. The ADA defines a service dog as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.
In 2021, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of C.L., finding that Del Amo Hospital had violated the ADA by refusing to allow her to bring Aspen into the facility. The court held that the ADA does not require service dogs to be certified, and that C.L. had presented sufficient evidence to show that Aspen was a service dog.
The Del Amo Hospital lawsuit is an important case for people with disabilities who rely on service dogs. The case confirms that service dogs are not required to be certified, and that people with disabilities have the right to bring their service dogs into public places, including hospitals.
FAQs:
Q: What is a service dog?
A service dog is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. Service dogs can help people with disabilities with a wide range of tasks, such as guiding people who are blind, retrieving objects for people who have mobility impairments, and alerting people with seizures to impending seizures.
Q: Do service dogs need to be certified?
No, service dogs do not need to be certified. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require service dogs to be certified.
Q: Am I allowed to bring my service dog into public places?
Yes, you are allowed to bring your service dog into public places, including hospitals, restaurants, and stores. The ADA requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, which includes allowing them to bring their service dogs into the business.
Q: What should I do if I am denied access to a public place with my service dog?
If you are denied access to a public place with your service dog, you should ask the business to explain why you are being denied access. If the business is unable to provide a reasonable justification for denying you access, you should file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Q: Where can I learn more about the rights of people with disabilities and service dogs?
You can learn more about the rights of people with disabilities and service dogs by visiting the website of the U.S. Department of Justice: Americans with Disabilities Act: https://www.ada.gov/
References:
- C. L. v. Del Amo Hospital, Inc., No. 19-56074 (9th Cir. 2021): https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/19-56074/19-56074-2021-03-30.html
- Americans with Disabilities Act: https://www.ada.gov/
Sources
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