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
Site Navigation Popular Latest Newsletters Sign In Subscribe Science
Humans need to breed and train more puppies like service animals.
—Brian Hare, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2024
Nearby Attractions: Forsyth Park, Savannah City Hall, River Street, Telfair Museums, and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Pet Policy: Pets are not allowed, except for service animals.
—Austa Somvichian-Clausen, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
If bringing a service animal, look out for the animal relief and rest area at the festival.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024
The American Disabilities Act mandates that those with service animals cannot be denied rides, but many blind riders say drivers refuse to transport them.
—Kristin J. Bender, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for service animal 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Brian Hare, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2024
Nearby Attractions: Forsyth Park, Savannah City Hall, River Street, Telfair Museums, and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Pet Policy: Pets are not allowed, except for service animals.
—Austa Somvichian-Clausen, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
If bringing a service animal, look out for the animal relief and rest area at the festival.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024
The American Disabilities Act mandates that those with service animals cannot be denied rides, but many blind riders say drivers refuse to transport them.
—Kristin J. Bender, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 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 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share