Policy Statement
It is the policy of The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences that service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are welcomed and generally permitted in all facilities and on all campuses with the exceptions described below.
The American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments define a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. Beginning on March 15, 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals under Titles II and III of the ADA. There is a provision regarding miniature horses as services animals, meeting specific assessment factors.
There are instances when a service animal may be restricted. With regards to the college, there may be possible restrictions of service animals in nursing and health sciences programs, food services programs, or laboratories that can pose a safety risk. These exceptions would need to be considered individually to determine whether the dog poses a possible danger and if other reasonable accommodations can be provided.
Overall, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure the safety and control of the animal. While legal access rights are afforded to users of assistance animals, with that comes the responsibility of ensuring the animal behaves and responds appropriately at all times in public and adheres to the same socially acceptable standards as any individual in the community.
Definitions
Guide dog: A carefully trained dog that serves as a travel tool by persons who are blind or have severe visual impairment.
Hearing dog: A dog who has been trained to alert a person with significant hearing loss or who is deaf when a sound (e.g., knock on the door) occurs.
Service dog: A service dog is a dog that has been trained to assist a person who has a mobility or health impairment. Types of duties the dog may perform include carrying, fetching, opening doors, ringing doorbells, activation elevator buttons, steadying a person while walking, helping a person up after the person falls, etc.
Sig dog: A dog trained to assist a person with autism. The dog alerts the partner to distracting repetitive movements common among those with autism that may have problems with sensory input and needs the same support services from a dog that a dog might give to a person who is blind or deaf.
Seizure response dog: A dog trained to assist a person with a seizure disorder; how the dog serves the person depends on the person’s needs. The dog may stand guard over the person during a seizure, or the dog may go for help. A few dogs have somehow learned to predict a seizure and warn the person in advance.
Therapy and Companion Animals are not generally covered under the ADA. However, if the animal is specifically trained to perform tasks of the owner, the requests will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Procedure
Conflicting Disabilities Related to Presence of Service Animals
Public Etiquette To and By Service Animals
Service Animal Control Requirements
Service Animal Documentation Requirements
Related Documents
Academic Accommodations - Equal Access and Accommodations |
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