Lee Signs Emotional Support Animal Ban Into Law

Governor Bill Lee on Friday signed a bill into law that prohibits emotional support animals from restaurants. Tennessee law already banned most dogs inside buildings that prepare or serve food. House Bill 1635 extended that ban to specifically include emotional support animals and other animals, such as cats. Experts say there is a big difference between service animals and emotional support animals. Service animals have to undergo extensive training that can take years. Emotional Support animals do not undergo such training and therefore can be a distraction inside an establishment…possibly even hindering actual service animals.

Opponents of the new law stated that individual eating establishments should have the option of whether or not to allow emotional support animals into their business.