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Pets in a museum

  • 1.  Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-10-2025 07:30 AM
    Pets in a museum:  

    How do you handle people wanting to bring in pets to your museum?  We are a lighthouse museum and people are wanting to bring in their dogs, ferrets, bunny and cats in to tour the museum.  We have on the door posted a sign that says "NO PETS ALLOWED"  -  Service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are welcome".  However, people interpret this to mean any pet can come in and when we ask if the pet is a service animal specifically trained, every person says it is and it is obvious it is not. How do you handle this? Do you require paperwork that says it's a service animal?  Do you just let any animal in?  People are traveling with their pets and don't want to leave them in the car, so they think they can just bring them inside the museum.  Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.  

    Stef Staley
    Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum



    Stef Staley, Executive Director
    Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum
    PO Box 43
    Northport, MI  49670
    231-386-7195 (O), 231-499-1787 (C)



  • 2.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-10-2025 10:26 AM

    Hi Stef,

    First off, ADA defines a service animal as a dog trained to do work or perform a task for a person with a disability. Ferrets, bunnies, and cats can't be service animals under the law. So there is nothing compelling you to let them into the museum. 

    There are 2 questions about service animals that you are allowed to ask under ADA:  (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 are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability.

    There's no paperwork involved in training a service animal so there's no "proof" you can ask for. 

    You may find this resource helpful: https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/

    I've worked at outdoor sites that do not allow pets and our standard response was an apologetic no, but they were welcome to return without the pet. We could not be responsible for minding animals while their owners toured the museum. Frankly these people must be aware that the pet wouldn't be welcome and they may be pushing against your good nature hoping to bend the rules. 

    Good luck



    ------------------------------
    DIANE GUTENKAUF
    Senior Assistant Director, Operations & Strategy

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    College of Fine and Applied Arts
    Krannert Art Museum
    500 East Peabody Drive | M/C 592
    Champaign, IL 61820
    217-333-3437 | dianeg3@illinois.edu
    kam.illinois.edu

    Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-10-2025 01:42 PM

    Thanks Diane.  This is very helpful!



    ------------------------------
    Stef Staley
    Executive Director
    Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum
    Northport MI
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 08:52 AM

    I just need to add to this that miniature horses are also service animals as defined by the ADA, though there are some restrictions.  Can't say I've ever encountered someone bringing them into a building but never say never.



    ------------------------------
    Amy Thompson
    Registrar
    Maine State Museum
    Augusta ME
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 08:57 AM

    Hi Amy

    they used to be but not anymore. Check the link I sent in my reply. 



    ------------------------------
    DIANE GUTENKAUF
    Senior Assistant Director, Operations & Strategy

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    College of Fine and Applied Arts
    Krannert Art Museum
    500 East Peabody Drive | M/C 592
    Champaign, IL 61820
    217-333-3437 | dianeg3@illinois.edu
    kam.illinois.edu

    Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 11:59 AM

    In Oklahoma I think miniature ponies are still allowed - https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/odc/documents/ada-resources/odc-ADA-CenterFactSheet-ServiceAnimals.pdf



    ------------------------------
    Dr. Laura Phillips
    Lecturer, Museum Studies Master of Arts
    School of Information and Library Studies
    The University of Oklahoma
    401 W. Brooks, Bizzell Library
    Norman, OK 73019
    laura.phillips@ou.edu

    I am grateful to be present on the homelands of the "Hasinais" Caddo Nation and "Kirikirʔi:s" Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. I acknowledge this territory also serves as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage nations. Today, 39 Indigenous Nations dwell in what is now the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate and eradicate Indigenous peoples.
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 12:09 PM

    your link is to the FAQ, they are listed in the ADA requirements

    https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/#miniature-horses



    ------------------------------
    Amy Thompson
    Registrar
    Maine State Museum
    Augusta ME
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 12:56 PM

    yes but it's quite restricted and likely not relevant for most museums.(emphasis mine)

    "Entities covered by the ADA must modify their policies to permit miniature horses where reasonable. The regulations set out four assessment factors to assist entities in determining whether miniature horses can be accommodated in their facility. The assessment factors are (1) whether the miniature horse is housebroken; (2) whether the miniature horse is under the owner's control; (3) whether the facility can accommodate the miniature horse's type, size, and weight; and (4) whether the miniature horse's presence will not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operation of the facility."



    ------------------------------
    DIANE GUTENKAUF
    Senior Assistant Director, Operations & Strategy

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    College of Fine and Applied Arts
    Krannert Art Museum
    500 East Peabody Drive | M/C 592
    Champaign, IL 61820
    217-333-3437 | dianeg3@illinois.edu
    kam.illinois.edu

    Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-11-2025 03:14 PM

    Hello, again only speaking about OK, when I was trained as a docent at First Americans Museum earlier this year we were told that miniature ponies are allowed as per the law. 



    ------------------------------
    Dr. Laura Phillips
    Lecturer, Museum Studies Master of Arts
    School of Information and Library Studies
    The University of Oklahoma
    401 W. Brooks, Bizzell Library
    Norman, OK 73019
    laura.phillips@ou.edu

    I am grateful to be present on the homelands of the "Hasinais" Caddo Nation and "Kirikirʔi:s" Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. I acknowledge this territory also serves as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage nations. Today, 39 Indigenous Nations dwell in what is now the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate and eradicate Indigenous peoples.
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-12-2025 10:33 AM
    Hi all! So far we have not had miniature horses visit the site as service animals, but we talked to the owner of a miniature horse therapy service and had her go through the Lincoln Home. She told us the horses would be able to go up the front stairs because there's a railing and open space on one side so they can better get their bearing, but because the back stairs have solid walls on either side and are steep, they would not go down the stairs, even backwards.

    Wishing you all a great Fall!

    Susan M. Haake
    Curator
    Lincoln Home National Historic Site
    413 South 8th Street
    Springfield, IL 62701
    Tel: 217-391-3246
    Cell: 217-741-4390





  • 11.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-12-2025 12:53 PM

    Hi Stef,

    I work at a Miniature Museum in AZ and as a Museum Services Supervisor, I've encountered something similar but with a visitor bringing in her cat back in July. Instead of confronting the visitor head on, I pretend to be passing by and happen to notice the animal.

    With this visitor, I start with a positive greeting, "Hello, how is your visit so far?" followed by a comment of "Oh, is this your cat? How cute!" then I slip in the 'negative' of "I'm so sorry but I need to ask if this is a service animal?" Often times, visitors will immediately say yes or would say no, which is fine since we are legally allowed to ask one or two questions if applicable, as stated in the ADA website:

    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.

    The visitor with the cat hesitated and said no to her cat being a Service Animal. I bring the conversation back into a positive way by saying, "No worries, you're not in trouble, I just needed to state this that way you're aware of our policy". In this situation, I mentioned about our museum's policy on no pets allowed other than service animals, which is stated on our website as well as we have a sign. However, the visitor claimed she didn't see a sign or didn't see it on our website and assumed it was allowed. Which meant to the visitor:

    No Statement/Signs = Yes, it is allowed

    *Of course, not everyone looks at museum websites or reads signs in museums

    The visitor asked if she could leave her cat in the car so she could continue her walkthrough around the museum. However, it was early July and it gets scorching hot in Arizona. I'm not sure if this is everywhere in the U.S. but of course in Arizona, we have ARS§ 13-2910 regarding the unlawful act of leaving an animal unattached/confided in a motor vehicle if physical injury or death is likely to result. In the end, after stating this, I had to ask her to leave. Another positive I brought in was offering a refund on her admission or a free guest pass for her to come back next time, without her cat.

    This encountered resulted in our department having to talk about different scenarios regarding service animals, pets, and even Emotional Support Animals.

    Stef, if you ever encounter this again, look into the ADA site that was provided by the other commenters in this thread. If you need to as well, look into the ADA's FAQ's https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/ about emotional support animals. I do not think ESA have a official website however, if you search "Emotional Support Animal laws by state" on google, AI Overview responds with several pointers, including one that states:

    Where ESA's are not covered: The legal rights of ESAs differ significantly from those of service animals in several key areas

    Public Access: ESAs are not covered under the ADA, so businesses, restaurants, and other public places are not required to allow them.

    Visitors in the past have used ESA's as a way to bring in their bunnies, ducks, birds, etc., inside our museum-- which did happen on several occasions in the past. If you and the rest of your staff discuss this and have a concrete structure on how to go about this topic of service animals, emotional support animals, and pets in general, you will all end up feeling confident and secure when coming across visitors who will get upset, angry, or want to contest to why they should have their animal be inside the museum. People do need to be aware that museums have policies and this is no exception.

    Eri Tenorio

    Museum Services Supervisor



    ------------------------------
    Eri Tenorio
    Museum Services Weekend Supervisor
    Mini-time Machine Museum of Miniatures
    Tucson AZ
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Pets in a museum

    Posted 09-16-2025 01:40 PM

    Hi Step,

    I am the Accessibility Specialist at my museum- I rewrote our Service Animal Policy last fall and it went into effect this January. 

    First, service animals can be dogs or miniature horses. This year is my 12th year working on accessibility in cultural arts institutions, and I have unfortunately never seen a miniature horse as a service animal in that time. 

    There is no official paperwork, lease, or harness for service animals. There are also no official breeds of dogs that can and cannot be service animals. 

    Second, here is some insight to what we expect from service animals:

    Our protect services staff can asked the two questions: 

    • Is the animal a service animal required because of a disability?
    • What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

    All of our service animals must follow these rules: 

    • The animal must be under the handler's control at all times.
    • The animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless these devices interfere with the animal's work or the individual's disability prevents using the devices. In cases of device interference, the handler must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
    • The animal must be housebroken and limit relief to paved outdoor areas. The animal handler is responsible for prompt removal and disposal of waste in designated trash receptacles.
    • The animal must not sit on any benches or chairs. All seating is reserved for visitors.
    • The animal must not demonstrate disruptive, agitated, or aggressive behavior, including but not limited to barking, whining, biting, growling, jumping, scratching, leash pulling, sniffing, or any harassment of visitors or staff.

    If they cannot meet our rules, then we will ask the guest and their service animal to leave. 

    • A person with a disability may be asked to remove a service animal from the premises for one of the following reasons:
      • The animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it.
      • The animal is not housebroken. If the service animal has had an accident the owner/handler is responsible for immediately notifying a team member.

    We have yet to ask a guest with a service animal to leave since the new policy was written.  

    Third, the Michigan Alliance for Cultural Accessibility is a statewide consortium of professionals working together to enhance the accessibility of Michigan's cultural institutions for people with disabilities. We meet both virtual and in person and is a great place to ask accessibility questions to folks across Michigan in museum, gardens, libraries, etc. 

    Happy to answer any questions or talk further if you would like. 

    All the best,

    Nicole



    ------------------------------
    Nicole Smith (she/her)
    Accessibility Consultant at Before Thought
    Co-Director of Social Sustainability, Ki Culture
    Steering Committee, American Alliance of Museums IMP Network
    nicole.m.smith.1985@gmail.com
    ------------------------------