39-1113. Assistance dogs and professional therapy dogs; definitions. As used in this act and in K.S.A. 39-1101 through 39-1109, and amendments thereto:

(a) "Assistance dog" means any guide dog, hearing assistance dog or service dog.

(b) "Guide dog" means a dog which has been specially selected, trained and tested for the purpose of guiding a person who is legally blind.

(c) "Hearing assistance dog" means a dog which is specially selected, trained and tested to alert or warn individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to specific sounds.

(d) "Professional therapy dog" means a dog which is selected, trained and tested to provide specific physical or therapeutic functions, under the direction and control of a qualified handler who works with the dog as a team, and as a part of the handler's occupation or profession. Such dogs, with their handlers, perform such functions in institutional settings, community based group settings, or when providing services to specific persons who have disabilities. "Professional therapy dog" does not include dogs, certified or not, which are used by volunteers for pet visitation therapy.

(e) "Service dog" means a dog which has been specially selected, trained and tested to perform a variety of tasks for persons with disabilities. These tasks include, but are not limited to: Pulling wheelchairs, lending balance support, picking up dropped objects or providing assistance in, or to avoid, a medical crisis, or to otherwise mitigate the effects of a disability.

(f) The presence of a dog for comfort, protection or personal defense does not qualify a dog as being trained to mitigate an individual's disability and therefor does not qualify the dog as an assistance dog covered under the provisions of this act.

History: L. 2003, ch. 64, § 1; July 1.