Fri. 1/16/26
Friday, January 16, 2026
All managers, please familiarize yourself with this article and share it with your team: Service Versus Emotional Support Animals: What Restaurant Workers Need To Know
Connecticut Law: Service Animals in Restaurants
Under Connecticut law, only service animals are permitted inside restaurants. A service animal is defined as a dog (or in rare cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to perform tasks related to a person’s disability.
Emotional support, therapy, or comfort animals are not considered service animals and are not allowed in restaurants unless the establishment voluntarily allows them.
If it is not obvious that the animal is a service animal, staff may politely ask only two questions:
“Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?”
“What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?”
Staff may not ask about the person’s disability or request any documentation, ID, or proof of training.
