Information for Students
Service and Companion Animals
Service animals are animals trained to assist people with disabilities with the activities of daily living. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service animal as “…any…animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals who are hearing impaired to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair or fetching dropped items.”
This definition means that 1) the individual must have a disability as defined by the ADA, and 2) the animal must be trained to do specific tasks for the qualified individual.
Companion animals (including therapy and emotional support animals) are animals that demonstrate a good temperament and reliable, predicable behavior and are selected to play an integral part of a person’s therapeutic treatment process. These animals are prescribed to an individual by a healthcare or mental health professional. Companion animals are not covered by laws protecting service animals and governing their activities.
A request to have either a service or companion animal on campus is considered a request for accommodation to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Disability Services will determine if the service or companion animal is a reasonable accommodation based upon a review of the documentation submitted by the student. Students requesting a service or companion animal on campus or in University housing as an accommodation must register with Disability Services and provide comprehensive documentation of disability from a qualified healthcare or mental health professional. Documentation for service animals must include a statement describing the service that the animal is trained to perform for the owner. Documentation for companion animals must include a statement that the animal has been prescribed for treatment purposes and a description of how and why the animal is necessary to mitigate the impact of the disability.
Requirements of Service and Companion Animals and their Owners
- Licensing and vaccination: The animal must be licensed and immunized in accordance with City ordinances.
- Health: The animal must be in good health. Animals that are ill or in poor health must not be taken into public areas. An owner with an animal that appears to be ill or in poor health may be required to remove the animal from University property.
- Behavior: The animal must be on a leash or otherwise under the control of the owner at all times. An animal may be removed if its behavior is unruly or disruptive (e.g., barking, growling, running around). If such behavior persists, the owner may be prohibited from bringing the animal on campus until s/he takes steps to mitigate the behavior. Mitigation can include muzzling a barking animal or refresher training for both the animal and owner.
- Cleanliness: Owners are expected to properly clean up and dispose of the animal’s waste. Owners of animals that are unclean or unkempt may be required to remove the animal from University property. An animal that becomes wet from walking in the rain or mud, but is otherwise clean, is considered a clean animal.
Areas Off Limits to Service and Companion Animals
The University may prohibit the use of service or companion animals in certain locations due to health and safety restrictions (e.g., where the animal may be in danger, or where its use may compromise the integrity of research). Restricted areas may include, but are not limited to: facility equipment rooms, research laboratories, classrooms with research/demonstration animals, areas where protective clothing is necessary, and rooms with sharp or hot objects or moving machinery.
Exceptions to restricted areas may be made on a case-by-case basis. Faculty in research laboratories and directors of other restricted areas make the final decision.
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