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Many business owners have a "no pets" policy on their premises. Nonetheless, "A service animal is not a pet. The ADA requires you to modify your 'no pets' policy to allow the use of a service animal by a person with a disability. This does not mean you must abandon your 'no pets' policy altogether but simply that you must make an exception to your general rule for service animals" (USDOJ).

Often a business will state that their local county health department has told them that only a seeing eye or guide dog has to be admitted. However, "...[you are in violation of the ADA] if you refuse to admit any other type of service animal on the basis of local health department regulations or other state or local laws. The ADA provides greater protection for individuals with disabilities and so it takes priority over the local or state laws or regulations" (USDOJ).

Many transportation companies often fear that admitting an animal into their taxis, buses and trains would be detrimental to their other customers. In spite of this,  "…under the ADA regulation issued by the Department of Transportation (49 C.F.R. Part 37) for the provision of transportation services to individuals with disabilities by public and private entities, section 37.167(d) requires those entities to permit service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and facilities. The regulation defines the term 'service animal' in the same manner as the Department's ADA regulation" (Dunne).

Not all animals are deemed service animals, because they are not limited to working with people who have disabilities, by performing tasks to their benefit. For example: Therapy, social and facility animals are often utilized for visitations or are placed in homes or facilities "...to provide therapeutic benefits" (ADI). In addition, “Federal laws have no provisions for people to be accompanied by therapy animals in places of public accommodation that have 'no pets' policies. Therapy animals usually are not service animals” (Delta). This may include emotional support animals who are not trained as service animals.

Nonetheless, regarding matters of housing, "The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C.  3604(f)(3)(B)) prohibits discrimination against a renter or buyer on the basis of disability. Discrimination includes a refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when those accommodations may be necessary to afford a person with a disability equal opportunity to use and enjoy a place of residence. While the Fair Housing Act and the regulations issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development do not specifically address service animals, it is likely that the Act would at times require that service animals be allowed in a housing facility in order to afford a disabled individual fair use and enjoyment of the facility" (Dunne).

Thus, in the light of housing issues with people with verifiable disabilities, “... [The Fair Housing Amendment Act and the ADA] protect the right of people with disabilities to keep emotional support animals, even when a landlord's policy explicitly prohibits pets…. In most housing complexes, so long as the tenant has a letter or prescription from an appropriate professional, such as a therapist or physician, and meets the definition of a person with a disability, he or she is entitled to a reasonable accommodation that would allow an emotional support animal in the apartment" (BCMHL).