- Created by Justin Lytle - Admin, last modified on Jul 30, 2020
Policy identification number: | ||
File: Ethical & Responsible Conduct Policies > Responsible Conduct Policies | ||
Service and Support Animals on Campus | ||
Policy Summary This policy outlines the definition, responsibilities, and guidelines to having a service animal or support animal on campus. | ||
Policy Owner Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs | Approval Date August 7, 2018 | Effective Date August 7, 2018 |
Search Terms service and support animals pvpaa s | Scheduled for Review Fall 2023 |
I. Service AnimalsFort Lewis College, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendment Act, must allow individuals with disabilities to have a service animal as their accommodation. Service animals may accompany students, employees or the general public on campus. Individuals accompanied by a service animal on campus who do not need any other disability-related accommodations are not required to register with Disability Services unless the student plans to live in campus housing. However, it is recommended that students make an appointment with Disability Services to assist in easing your service animal’s transition to campus. Employees should contact the HR Director to go through the accommodation process. Fort Lewis College recommends service animals be identifiable by wearing a vest or harness. Service animals must be housebroken (i.e., trained so that it controls its waste elimination, absent illness or accident) and service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In the case of the latter, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. Fort Lewis College will assess requests for the use of miniature horses by individuals with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. |
II. Support AnimalsSupport animals do not qualify as service animals. In some instances, students with disabilities may be allowed to have a support animal within campus housing facilities with prior approval. Individuals with disabilities are responsible for the cost, care, and supervision of their service or support animals, including:
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III. Service and Support AnimalsFort Lewis College will not require any surcharges or fees related to service/support animals. Individuals may be charged for damage caused by any animal. Individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by service/support animals must comply with the same college rules regarding noise, safety, disruption, and cleanliness as people without disabilities. All persons shall promptly comply with any college directive to remove their animal from an area in which it was previously authorized if:
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IV. Reason for PolicyStudents with disabilities must be able to access all areas of campus with their service animal, without being questioned. |
V. ResponsibilitiesFor following the policy: All employees and students For enforcement of the policy: Director of Disability Services, Campus Police For oversight of the policy: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs For notification of policy: Policy Librarian For procedures implementing the policy: Director of Disability Services |
VI. DefinitionsService Animals: A service animal is a dog or miniature horse (rarely) that has been individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for a specific individual with a disability. The disability may not always be visible or obvious. Service Animals in Training: Animals who are being trained specifically as service animals for individuals with disabilities. For purposes of this policy, service animals in training are treated the same as service animals. Support Animals: A support animal provides emotional or other assistance that minimizes one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. This group includes therapy animals, emotional support, or comfort animals. Unlike service animals, support animals are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks, and they include species other than dogs and miniature horses. |
VII. ProceduresTo ensure equal access and nondiscrimination of individuals with disabilities, members of the Fort Lewis College community must abide by the following practices:
A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, the individual with the disability must be given the opportunity to acquire educational services without the animal’s presence. When it is not obvious a dog is a service animal, the following inquiries are permitted:
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VIII. Cross-Referenced PoliciesThe Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended |