Kan. Stat. Ann. § 39-1113
Assistance dogs and professional therapy dogs; definitions.
Operative Text
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.
Kansas Statutes §§ 39-1101 through 39-1113 establish the official definitions used throughout Kansas's assistance-dog law. The statute distinguishes among guide dogs (for people who are legally blind), hearing assistance dogs (for people who are deaf or hard of hearing), service dogs (trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities), and professional therapy dogs (used by qualified handlers in institutional or community settings as part of their occupation). Importantly, the law clarifies that a dog kept for comfort, protection, or personal defense does not qualify as an assistance dog under these provisions, regardless of any informal certification.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 39-1101 through 39-1113, property owners and managers are expected to understand that Kansas law uses precise definitions to determine which dogs qualify for legal protections as assistance dogs. A compliant operator generally evaluates accommodation requests by reference to whether a dog meets the statutory definitions of a guide dog, hearing assistance dog, service dog, or professional therapy dog — not simply whether an animal provides emotional comfort or a sense of security to its owner. Operators familiar with subsection (f) understand that a dog's role as a comfort or protection animal does not, on its own, bring that animal within the scope of Kansas's assistance-dog protections.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Kansas Statutes §§ 39-1101 through 39-1113 set out the definitions that determine whether a dog qualifies for legal protections under Kansas's assistance-dog law, which matters when a tenant seeks to keep such a dog in housing that might otherwise restrict animals. Tenants whose dogs meet the statutory definitions — such as a service dog trained to perform specific disability-related tasks — may have grounds to assert rights under this framework, while dogs kept solely for comfort or protection fall outside these definitions. Tenants who believe their assistance dog qualifies under the statute and have encountered a housing issue may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general information about how these definitions apply.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation