Everett Community College

EVCC5075PD: PETS AND SERVICE ANIMALS ON CAMPUS

Original Date:  April 2012
Presidential Directive Contact:  Director of Disability Services

PRESIDENT’S DIRECTIVE
The college does not permit pets inside buildings. Service animals are allowed as described below. People may bring other animals into a building only as part of an approved educational experience. All animals on campus shall be leashed or under the direct physical control of their owner or custodian.

DEFINITIONS:
Pet:  A domestic animal kept for pleasure or companionship.

Service Animal:  An animal that is trained for the purposes of assisting or accommodating a disabled person's sensory, mental, or physical disability.

Service Animal-in-Training: Animal being trained to become a service animal.

Therapy Animal: Animal with good temperament and disposition with reliable, predictable behavior, usually selected to visit people with disabilities or people who are experiencing the frailties of aging as a therapy tool. The animal may be incorporated as an integral part of a treatment process. A therapy animal does not assist an individual with a disability in the activities of daily living. A therapy animal does not accompany a person with a disability all the time, whereas a service animal is always with its partner. A therapy animal is not covered by the laws protecting and giving rights to service animals.

Work/Tasks:
Work or tasks include, but are not limited to:
• assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks,
• alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds,
• pulling a wheelchair,
• assisting an individual during a seizure,
• alerting individuals to the presence of allergens,
• retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone,
• providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities

Work or tasks do not include the crime deterrent effects of an animal’s presence or the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship.

Handler/Trainer: A person who works with a service animal but is not the person the animal serves.

Owner/Partner: A person with a disability who uses the service animal for assistance.

College Official: Any administrator, member of the faculty or any employee with supervisory responsibilities.

PROCEDURES

Owner/Partner Responsibilities 
Students using a service animal on campus are not required to notify or seek approval from the college.
Anyone seeking to bring a service animals-in-training on campus must have prior permission from the Center for Disability Services (CDS).

The owner/partner must provide an adequate response to any college official who asks for verification of the function or tasks of an animal as a service animal, if the service function or task is not visibly obvious.

The care and supervision of a service animal is the responsibility of the person who uses the animal's service. The person must maintain control of the animal and keep it on a leash at all times. The person is responsible for ensuring that the animal has appropriate hygiene and is responsible for the clean up of all animal waste.

All animals must have appropriate license and vaccinations as required by applicable law.

College Personnel Responsibilities
College personnel shall allow a service animal to accompany the owner/partner at all times and everywhere on campus, except where animals are specifically prohibited due to safety or health restrictions, or where the animal may be in danger.

If a college student or staff member has a disabling condition for which he/she has medical documentation that shows incompatibility with a service animal, Human Resources and the Center for Disability Services will determine appropriate accommodations for both parties on a case-by-case basis.

College personnel shall not touch or feed a service animal without owner/partner permission, nor shall they deliberately startle a service animal or separate or attempt to separate a service animal from its owner/partner.

College officials may ask
• if the service animal is required because of a disability
• what work or tasks the animal is trained to perform, but only if the service function or task is not visibly obvious.

College officials may not
• require a service animal to be identified by uniform
• ask about the nature of the disability
• grant special exception to this procedure

Clarifications or concerns should be referred to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services or the Vice President of Administrative Services, or the Director of the Center for Disability Services (CDS).

Removal of Service Animals
A college official may require an owner/partner to remove a service animal from Everett Community College grounds, classrooms or other facilities:

• If the animal is sick, unclean or smelly. 
• If its behavior is disruptive, e.g., barking, growling, running around, displaying aggressive behavior.
• If the owner/partner fails to clean up after his or her animal. 
• If the animal does not have licenses and vaccinations as required by applicable law.

If such circumstances or behaviors persist, college officials may direct the owner/partner not to bring the animal onto campus. The owner may remain on campus and participate in activities, but the animal will not be allowed to return until the issues have been resolved.

Administrative Authority
The Director of the Center for Disability Services has administrative authority for classroom accommodations for students. The Vice President of Administrative Services has administrative authority for accommodations for employees, visitors, guests, or other non-students. The Vice President for Instruction and Student Services has administrative authority for student discipline. The Vice President of College Services has administrative authority for campus security and the removal of unwanted non-student, non-employee guests or visitors.

The college ADA/504 compliance officer is the Vice President of Administrative Services.

Grievances
See student handbook for grievance procedures for students.  Others who may have a grievance can contact the Vice President Administrative Services.