01The rule
Drivers must transport Riders accompanied by a service animal. There are no exceptions. Refusing to transport a Rider because they are accompanied by a service animal is a violation of federal disability law (the Americans with Disabilities Act) and state and local accessibility laws — and a violation of Joyride's Anti-Discrimination Policies.
02What counts as a service animal
A service animal is a dog (and, in limited cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. The task must be directly related to the person's disability — for example, guiding a person who is blind, alerting a person who is deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, or calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack.
A service animal does not have to be certified, registered, or wear a vest, harness, or tag. Joyride does not require a Rider to produce documentation.
Pets, comfort animals, and emotional-support animals are not service animals under the ADA. Drivers are not required to transport pets, comfort animals, or emotional-support animals, but may choose to do so. Some jurisdictions provide additional protections — Drivers should follow the more protective rule where local law is stricter than the ADA.
03What Drivers must do
- Accept the ride request and complete the trip.
- Allow the service animal to ride in the passenger cabin with the Rider — not in the trunk, not in a separate vehicle.
- Allow the Rider to position the service animal where it can do its work — at the Rider's feet, on the floor of the back seat, or wherever the Rider directs.
- Treat the service animal as a working animal. Do not pet, feed, distract, or speak to the animal except as the Rider directs.
04What Drivers may not do
- Refuse to transport a Rider with a service animal.
- Ask for proof that the animal is a service animal, ask about the Rider's disability, or require the animal to demonstrate its task.
- Charge an additional fee, surcharge, or cleaning fee for transporting a service animal. (Damage caused by the animal is a different question — see Section 6.)
- Cancel the ride after seeing the service animal and code the cancellation as a no-show, a safety concern, or anything else.
- Ask the Rider to ride in a different vehicle, wait for a different Driver, or "wait outside" so the animal is not in the cabin.
05Allergies and religious objections
Driver allergies, religious objections, or personal preferences about dogs do not excuse a refusal to transport a service animal. The legal protection for the Rider is stronger than the Driver's preference. Drivers who cannot reasonably accommodate service animals should not provide transportation through Joyride.
06Damage and cleaning
Joyride's general damage and cleaning rules in the Community Guidelines apply. If a service animal causes actual damage to the vehicle — beyond ordinary wear — Drivers may submit a damage claim through the Driver app. Damage claims are evaluated on the facts. Drivers may not impose a "service-animal fee" up front or after the fact.
07Reporting a refusal
If you are a Rider and a Joyride Driver refuses to transport you because of your service animal, please report it immediately:
- Use the in-app "report a problem" flow on the ride in question.
- Email support@joyride.cool with the ride ID, the date and time, the pickup location, and a description of what happened.
We investigate every report. We do not require you to produce proof of disability or service-animal status to file a complaint.
08Consequences
Joyride treats refusal to transport a service animal as a zero-tolerance matter. A confirmed refusal results in permanent deactivation from the Joyride Platform — typically on the first incident. Joyride may also cooperate with civil-rights agencies and other regulators investigating a refusal.