Definitions
Under Civil Rights law:s. “Guide dog” means a dog used to assist persons who are deaf, or which is fitted with a special harness so as to be suitable as an aid to the mobility of a person who is blind, and is used by a person who is blind and has satisfactorily completed a specific course of training in the use of such a dog, and has been trained by an organization generally recognized by agencies involved in the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, those persons who are blind or deaf, as reputable and competent to provide dogs with training of this type.
t. “Guide or service dog trainer” means any person who is employed by an organization generally recognized by agencies involved in the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, those persons who are blind, have visual impairments, or are deaf or have hearing impairments, as reputable and competent to provide dogs with training, as defined in this section, and who is actually involved in the training process.
dd. “Service dog” means any dog individually trained to the requirements of a person with a disability including, but not limited to minimal protection work, rescue work, pulling a wheelchair or retrieving dropped items. This term shall include a “seizure dog” trained to alert or otherwise assist persons with epilepsy or other seizure disorders.
N. J. S. A. 10:5-5
Dusty's Law definitions
“Guide dog” shall mean a dog which has been or is being raised or trained to provide assistance to a blind or deaf person, including but not limited to a dog that has been or is being raised or trained by a volunteer puppy raiser or staff member of an organization generally recognized as being involved in the rehabilitation of the blind or deaf and reputable and competent to provide dogs with specialized training.
“Service animal” shall have the same meaning as set forth in the federal “Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990” (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.) and any regulations under the act.
N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.2
SDIT Covered?
Yes. A service or guide dog trainer, while engaged in the actual training process and activities of service dogs or guide dogs, shall have the same rights and privileges with respect to access to public facilities, and the same responsibilities as are applicable to a person with a disability.N. J. S. A. 10:5-29.3
Accommodation Law
Any person with a disability accompanied by a service or guide dog trained by a recognized training agency or school is entitled, with his dog, to the full and equal enjoyment, advantages, facilities and privileges of all public facilities.N. J. S. A. 10:5-29
Any person who intentionally interferes with the rights of a person with a disability, who is accompanied by a guide or service dog, or the function or the ability to function of a guide or service dog, shall be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500.
N. J. S. A. 10:5-29.5
Harassment of/Interference with Service Dogs
Under Civil Rights laws:Any person who intentionally interferes with the rights of a person with a disability, who is accompanied by a guide or service dog, or the function or the ability to function of a guide or service dog, shall be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500.
N. J. S. A. 10:5-29.5
Under "Dusty's Law":
Any person who recklessly kills a service animal or guide dog, or who recklessly permits a dog that the person owns or over which the person has immediate control, to injure or kill a service animal or guide dog, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
Any person who recklessly injures a service animal or guide dog, or recklessly permits a dog that the person owns or over which the person has immediate control, to injure a service animal or guide dog, is guilty of a disorderly persons offense.
Any person who recklessly interferes with the use of a service animal or guide dog, or who recklessly permits a dog that the person owns or over which that person has immediate control, to interfere with a service animal or guide dog, by obstructing, intimidating, or otherwise jeopardizing the safety of that service animal or guide dog or its handler, is guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense.
N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.2
Driving Law
Under Civil Rights laws:A person with a disability accompanied by a guide dog, or a guide dog instructor engaged in instructing a guide dog, shall have the right-of-way over vehicles while crossing a highway or any intersection.
N. J. S. A. 10:5-29.4
Also under Traffic Regulation laws:
Any blind person using as a guide a seeing-eye dog or other dog trained as a guide for the blind, equipped with a rigid "U"-shaped harness such as customarily used or any guide dog instructor engaged in instructing a guide dog shall have the right-of-way in crossing any highway or any intersection, and all drivers of vehicles shall yield the right-of-way.
N. J. S. A. 39:4-37.1
Licensing Law
Dogs used as Dogs used as guide dogs or service dogs shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of a guide dog or service dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor. A dog temporarily placed in a foster home as part of a formalized training to be a guide dog or service dog shall not be required to be licensed and registered while the dog remains in the foster home for such training.N. J. S. A. 4:19-15.3
Service Dog Fraud
Any person who fits a dog with a harness of the type commonly used by blind persons to represent that such dog is a guide dog when not trained as a guide dog shall be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500.N. J. S. A. 10:5-29.5
