Disability Confirmation
The first step to register your animal is simple and requires you to confirm that you qualify as a person with some type of disability, based on the information below. NSAR recognizes that many, if not most disabilities are invisible. For many people, their disability only presents itself on occasion, like dizziness or a diabetic problem. For others, the disability is in evidence at all times, such as deafness or blindness.
Although you do not need to specify your particular disability, just click the box below to confirm that you qualify.
Qualification:
The ADA defines "disability” very broadly and does not limit the type of disability for which a service animal can be used. In addition, there is great flexibility with respect to the nature and severity of a person’s physical, mental, or emotional issue (disability). The essence of the law states that if you have any condition that makes it difficult to perform or limits an important life activity (that other people can perform easily), you are qualified. You are not required to have a doctor’s excuse or formal diagnosis. In addition, the activity might only be a problem during certain times, like dizziness (leading to balance problems), low blood sugar, a seizure, panic attacks, stress, or depression, to name a few examples.
Partial List of Qualified Disabilities:
| Physical Problem Asthma (or other breathing problems) Blindness (& partial blindness) Deafness (& partial deafness) Diabetes Dizziness/Balance problems Epilepsy General Hearing Difficulty Mobility Problems Neurological Problems Paralysis Physical Weakness Speech Problems Seizures |
Emotional/Mental Problem Age-Related Cognitive Decline Any Psychiatric Condition (see exclusions below) Autism Depression Dyslexia Bipolar Disorder Emotionally Overwhelmed Panic Attacks Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Separation Anxiety Social Phobia Stress Problems |
Exclusions to the Qualified Disability Definition
Neither deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) nor conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict is a symptom of a dysfunction in the individual. According to Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, current or future interpretation of psychological disabilities excludes common personality traits such as poor judgment or a quick temper.