Which term refers to an animal that has been trained to assist an individual with a disability?

The term that refers to an animal trained specifically to assist an individual with a disability is service animal. Service animals are typically dogs that are trained to perform tasks that directly relate to a person's disability. This can include a variety of functions, such as guiding individuals who are visually impaired, alerting those who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, or alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure.

Service animals differ from other types of animals such as companion animals, which provide emotional support but are not specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities. While caretaker animals and helper animals may imply some level of assistance, they do not have the legal definition and specific training criteria associated with service animals, which must adhere to regulations set forth by entities like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).