Any blind, deaf or mobility impaired person who is the owner or keeper of a dog which has been trained and educated to guide and assist such person in traveling upon the public streets or highways or otherwise shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is owned or kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required of the owner or keeper of any such dog. When any such dog has not been previously licensed by the town clerk to whom application is being made, such town clerk shall not license such dog or issue to the owner a license and tag unless written evidence is exhibited to such clerk that the dog is trained and educated and intended in fact to perform such guide service for such applicant. Any person who has a dog placed with such person temporarily, including for breeding purposes, by a nonprofit organization established for the purpose of training or educating guide dogs to so assist blind, deaf or mobility impaired persons shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required for such license and tag, provided such person presents written evidence that such dog was placed with such person by such organization. As used in this section and section 46a-44, “deaf person” means a person who cannot readily understand spoken language through hearing alone and who may also have a speech defect which renders such person's speech unintelligible to most people with normal hearing.

“Sec. 22-345. License and tag for service animals for persons with a disability. Any person with a disability who is the owner or keeper of a dog which has been trained as a service animal, is in training to become a service animal for such person, is in training to become a service animal or is enrolled in a program described in section 17a-22ee shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is owned or kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required of the owner or keeper of any such dog. When any such dog has not been previously licensed, by the town clerk to whom application is being made and it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, such town clerk may inquire of such owner or keeper whether the dog is a service animal required because of a disability and what work or task the dog has been trained to perform. Any person who has a dog placed with such person temporarily, including for breeding purposes, by a nonprofit organization established for the purpose of training or educating the dog as a service animal shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required for such license and tag, provided such person presents confirmation that such dog was placed with such person by such organization. As used in this section, (1) “disability” means any one or more of the following, as defined in section 46a-51: (A) An intellectual disability, (B) physically disabled, (C) a mental disability, or (D) a learning disability; and (2) “service animal” has the same meaning as provided in 28 CFR 35.104, as amended from time to time, and includes a service animal in training.”

(1949 Rev., S. 3391; 1953, S. 1829d; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 16; P.A. 76-49, S. 1; P.A. 85-289, S. 5; P.A. 89-161, S. 5; P.A. 93-435, S. 50, 95; P.A. 01-62, S. 6; P.A. 22-54, S. 5.)

History: 1963 act removed nominal $0.35 charge for licensing guide dog; P.A. 76-49 defined “deaf person” and made provisions applicable to guide dogs for the deaf; P.A. 85-289 applied provisions of section to mobility impaired persons; P.A. 89-161 added the language pertaining to the placement of dogs between six months and one year by organization which trains guide dogs; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 01-62 deleted provision re dog between the age of six months and one year, exempted dogs placed for breeding purposes from the license and tag fee and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 22-54 changed references from blind, deaf or mobility impaired person to person with a disability, changed provisions re guide dog to service animal, added authorization for town clerk to inquire whether dog is a service animal required because of a disability, changed requirement from presenting written evidence to presenting confirmation that dog was placed with such person by such organization and defined “disability” and “service animal”, effective June 1, 2023.