Service animals are never considered as what?

Service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities, distinguishing them from other types of animals such as family pets. While family pets serve as companions to their owners, they do not possess the specialized training to assist individuals with physical or mental health disabilities in the same way that service animals do.

The term "service animal" typically refers to dogs trained to carry out specific tasks, such as guiding the visually impaired, alerting the hearing impaired, or assisting those with mobility challenges. This specialized training enables service animals to provide necessary support that goes beyond the companionship offered by family pets.

In addition, the other terms mentioned, such as comfort animals and emotional support animals, refer to different categories of animals that provide emotional support but do not have the extensive training required to qualify as true service animals. Thus, family pets are seen as companions rather than the specialized, task-oriented service animals trained to aid individuals with specific disabilities.