Animals on Campus Student - Policy and Procedures

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  1. Purpose
    1. The College provides this Policy to establish standards for animals being allowed on campus as reasonable accommodations to individuals with documented disabilities.
  2. References
    1. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
    2. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2010 §35.136
    3. United States Dog Registry
  3. Definitions - For the purpose of this policy, Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals, and Therapy Animals will be assumed to be dogs, as defined by law. Other species are not considered Service Animals.
    1. Pet – a domesticated animal, generally kept for companionship.
    2. Service Animal – an animal that performs specific tasks for individuals with disabilities, such as navigation for the blind, warning for the deaf, seizure intervention, etc. The service performed must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
    3. Emotional Support Animal – an animal that provides emotional and mental support. These animals do not perform a specific task but are kept for emotional stability.
    4. Therapy Animal – an animal that brings comfort to individuals under adverse conditions, such as illness. These animals do not perform a specific task but are kept for happiness and well-being.
  4. Policy
    1. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations that do not fundamentally change the activity or setting of the classroom or work environment will be extended to individuals with documented disabilities. These individuals may be accompanied by a Service Animal on the College campus in any place where the public may congregate provided:
      1. The animal is current with licensing and vaccinations.
      2. The animal is harnessed or restrained by the individual for whom it is providing service at all times.
      3. The animal does not pose a threat or danger to the health or safety of others.
      4. The activity or setting is not fundamentally changed by the presence of the animal.
      5. Handlers must properly dispose of the service animal’s waste or other debris.
    2. Service animal owners may be asked to remove their service animal from the College campus at the College’s discretion as outlined below. Determinations regarding the removal of service animals will be made on a case-by-case basis upon review by appropriate College personnel involved in the case. The reasons for a service animal removal may include, but not be limited to the following:
      1. A handler may be directed to remove an animal if it is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it. If the out-of-control behavior happens repeatedly, the handler may be prohibited from bringing the animal onto campus until the handler can demonstrate they have taken significant steps to mitigate the behavior.
      2. A handler may be directed to remove an animal that is not housebroken.
      3. A handler may be directed to remove an animal that is determined to be a substantial and direct threat to the health and safety of others on campus. This may occur because of an animal exhibiting aggressive behavior or a substantial lack of cleanliness of the animal.
      4. Any animal with signs of illness, including but not limited to a known zoonotic disease (such as rabies or psittacosis, that can be transmitted to humans), severe diarrhea, severe vomiting, fever, or open sores, should not be on campus until deemed non-infectious/contagious by the written statement of a veterinarian.
      5. A handler may be directed to remove an animal from areas of the campus where it would not be sanitary for the presence of an animal such as food preparation areas, healthcare facilities, etc.
    3. Other animals including emotional support animals, therapy animals, etc., are not permitted in Davis Tech buildings or facilities.
    4. Pets are not permitted in campus buildings. Care and supervision of the animal, as well as the costs of any damage caused by the animal, are the sole responsibility of the animal’s owner.
    5. Service animals may be restricted from college spaces if the animal’s presence would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity provided in the space. These spaces may include sterile environments, and areas requiring protective equipment or clothing for access. Service animal handlers who need to enter restricted spaces may work with the Disabilities Coordinator to gain access. Please contact adacoordinator@davistech.edu.
    6. Conflicting Disabilities- If substantial enough, some people may have allergic reactions to animals that qualify as disabilities. In meeting its obligations to reasonably accommodate all disabilities, the College will consider the needs of both persons to resolve the problem as efficiently and expeditiously as possible. Students requesting allergy accommodations should contact the ADA Coordinator. Employees should follow the American’s with Disabilities Act employment policy and procedure.
  5. Procedures
    1. Inquiries by College Personnel - When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, personnel of the College may ask two questions:
      1. Is the animal required to be on campus due to a documented disability?
      2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
    2. College personnel other than the students ADA Coordinator or Human Resources personnel, may not inquire about the nature or extent of the individual’s disability.
      1. The College may not require documentation of certification, licensure, or training of Service Animals; however, it is the stated preference of the institution that Service Animals be marked or vested. If there is any doubt that an animal is a service animal, College personnel should obtain the owner's contact information, admit the animal, and then consult with the student ADA Coordinator or Human Resources personnel regarding future access.
    3. Students wishing to bring a Service Animal, must follow the Services to Students with Disabilities policy and procedure. Employees wishing to bring a Service Animal must follow the American’s with Disabilities Act Employment Policy and Procedure.
    4. Students who wish to appeal a decision regarding a Service Animal, Emotional Support Animal, or Therapy Animal on campus may do so in accordance with the College Policy on Student Grievances. Employees who wish to appeal a decision regarding a Service Animal, Emotional Support Animal, or Therapy Animal on campus should refer to section 5.6 of the American’s with Disabilities Act- Employment Policy and Procedure and the College Employment Grievances Policy.
Policy migration in progress

Davis Tech is in the process of migrating our policies from PDF to HTML format to conform to Title II (ADA) requirements. During this transition period, the latest approved version of the policy is available (below) in pdf format, but may contain ADA Compliance errors.

Printable PDF

Effective Date: 25 September 2025

  • Approvals and Notes
  • Board Approval: 25 September 2025
  • Expanded President’s Council Approval: 11 August 2025
  • Board Approval: 01 December 2022
  • President’s Council Approval: 28 November 2022