Service animals getting attention in the Big Apple

long island Newsday

NEW YORK — That monkey on the subway? Illegal in the city, but not if the owner has a disability. The guy with the snake on the bus? Leave him alone. He needs it for emotional support.

The New York Police Department Patrol Guide has been amended to let officers know that Seeing Eye dogs are not the only creatures considered service animals.

Those afflicted with epilepsy, heart disease, lung disease and other medical conditions, including mental distress, fit the bill.

Also allowed to have service animals are professional trainers getting their animals ready for the day they will be assigned to someone with a disability.