Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, people across the country living with a disability have been guaranteed the right to keep a service animal to protect and assist them.

Service animals are life-changing for people with both physical and mental disabilities. According to ShareAmerica, nearly half a million service dogs are helping people with disabilities every day.

Service animals, particularly canines, can be life-changing assets for folks with physical disabilities and those suffering from severe mental disabilities or a history of trauma.

There are many rules, regulations, and protections surrounding service dogs that can be quite confusing. However, this guide will work to clear up some of the confusion and make the topic of California service dog laws much more straightforward.

Under both state and federal law, people with disabilities have the right to bring their service dogs in public places. They also have certain protections for things like housing and travel.