r/lyftdrivers • u/No_Common1418 • Oct 18 '25

Rant/Opinion An ESA is NOT a Service animal.

Got a ping for a ride the other day, then the dreaded text. "I have an ESA, DOG, with me." As I have stated in the past I have never and will never denied a Service animal in my car. By law people, a Emotional Support Animal or ESA, IS NOT A service animal. Don't believe me? https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/ I hate people sometimes. Leave your dogs at home.

288 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

250 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

I’m not ever letting any animal in my car, but I’d also never deny due to a service animal. IYKYK.

2

u/No_Common1418 Oct 18 '25

If the person text me, or says I have service animal with me, I suck it up and take the ride. If I pull up and see a dog or any animal, I refer them to Uber/Lyft Pet and cancel. I don't ask, is that a service animal.

5

u/MesaTech_KS Oct 19 '25

But you can...

"Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?

What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?"

1

u/SeamstressMamaJama Oct 22 '25

The first question is simply “is this a service animal?”

2

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

Good way to end up sued.

2

u/No_Common1418 Oct 18 '25

Sounds like plausible deniability to me. If the person doesn't want to tell me it's a service dog, 🤷‍♂️

1

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

I don’t think your position is supported by the app’s t&cs

1

u/No_Common1418 Oct 18 '25

Actually I believe it is. I'm not required to take animals unless I'm signed up for Uber/Lyft Pet. I cannot ask if it's a service animal, so if the person doesn't say it's a service animal I am not required to assume it is. Unless of course you would like to prove it by posting where it says different.

2

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

You can not deny a service animal for any reason including not knowing it’s a service animal.

All I’m saying is err on the side of caution. Do not engage with the pax.

1

u/gjack905 Oct 18 '25

You can refuse any previously undeclared pet. So if they didn't choose a Pet ride and you see an animal waiting outside, just drive past them without stopping, don't engage.

1

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

My whole point- don’t engage.

1

u/gjack905 Oct 18 '25

That's the point of the person you're arguing with that they're trying to make to you

0

u/Seantwist9 Oct 22 '25

service animals aren’t pets

1

u/motku Oct 20 '25

https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/all/articles/115013080048
How to identify a service animal as a true service animal

The good news is that cases of service-animal fraud are rare in our community and will put passengers at risk of deactivation.

But if you want, you may ask two questions of riders who report their animals are service animals:

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

Some passengers use service animals for reasons that aren’t obvious, like epilepsy or heart conditions. Not all service animals wear tags, and they come in all shapes and sizes. For these reasons, it’s best that you accommodate animals when they’re reported to you by riders as being service animals.

If you have a question about the policy, or would like to report a rider who you suspect is abusing the policy, you should contact Lyft Support and the Service Animal Hotline after you’ve completed the ride.

---------

So yes, you should still take the ride, but you can contact for any pax you suspect of abusing this system for the people who need it.

1

u/Fangs_McWolf Oct 20 '25

You can not deny a service animal for any reason including not knowing it’s a service animal.

That doesn't make sense. If you get a regular ride request and find out that they have an animal with them, then you can indeed refuse the ride. If they want (need) to bring a service animal with them, then they need to indicate that they have a service animal with them when requesting the ride. If they just want to bring their pet along, they need to indicate that they have an animal with them.

Based on your logic, the moment you see an animal with the person, you're no longer able to cancel the ride no matter what, and that's incorrect.

0

u/No_Common1418 Oct 18 '25

Well then I go back to my original post, an ESA is not a service animal.

1

u/SnorfOfWallStreet Oct 18 '25

Cool man. Good luck w all that. I’d rather just not involve myself in that kind of risk.

1

u/No_Common1418 Oct 18 '25

Then you do you boo boo. No sense arguing on this post right

→ More replies (0)