Questioning the purpose of a service animal was illegal under original ADA 1990, and was so often violated that there's extra language in ADAAA 2010 addressing the problem:
begin quote When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. quote ends
P.S. They use the term "service animal" for consistency with ADA 1990, but the 2010 version -- the ADA Amendments Act -- narrows allowable species to just dogs.
P.P.S. The U.S. Dept of Justice/Civil Rights Division has revamped the information on the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are more plain language descriptions and finding aids. http://www.ada.gov
No they can't require service animal documentation
Follow this link for the full details, in not-too-confusing language. Here's the key quote:
P.S. They use the term "service animal" for consistency with ADA 1990, but the 2010 version -- the ADA Amendments Act -- narrows allowable species to just dogs.
P.P.S. The U.S. Dept of Justice/Civil Rights Division has revamped the information on the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are more plain language descriptions and finding aids.
http://www.ada.gov