720 ILCS 5/48-8 – Denying Access to a Service Animal
This law says you cannot stop someone with a service animal from entering or using public places.
People who need service animals, or trainers working with them, must be allowed to go into and use public places with their animals. Anyone who breaks this rule can be charged with a misdemeanor.
(a) A person who needs a service animal because of a physical, mental, or intellectual disability, or a trainer of a service animal, cannot be stopped from entering or using public places with their service animal.
For this law, a “service animal” means a dog or miniature horse trained or being trained to help a person with a disability. This can include animals trained to help with things like hearing loss, vision problems, seizures, movement, psychiatric needs, or autism.
A miniature horse can also count as a service animal if the public place makes reasonable changes to allow it, while considering these factors:
- The type, size, and weight of the horse, and if the place can handle it.
- If the handler can control the horse properly.
- If the horse is trained to be housebroken.
- If having the horse there is safe for everyone and doesn’t break safety rules.
(b) Sentence: Anyone who knowingly breaks this law can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, which is a minor criminal offense.
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