UCSC Service Animal Policy

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UC Santa Cruz Service Animal Policy

(Policy SA-0001)

I. Purpose

Pets and other animals are restricted on the UCSC Campus. This policy addresses animals utilized for disability accommodation services as identified in the UCSC Non-Research Animals on Campus Policy (Policy SPS0005). As established and defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals shall not be excluded from UC Santa Cruz facilities or activities.

II. Detailed Policy Statement

A. Types of Service Animals Permitted on Campus

These guidelines have been developed with the understanding that most service animals working on the university campus will be dogs. (For policy regarding "support animals" that do not meet the definition of "service animal"–e.g. emotional support animals, therapy animals, seizure response animals–please see Section II.D. of this document).

Types of service animals might include:

• Guide Dog: A dog trained to serve as a travel tool for individuals with severe visual impairments or who are blind.
• Hearing Dog: A dog trained to alert deaf or hard of hearing individuals by signaling the occurrence of important sounds (e.g. door bells, smoke alarms, etc).
• Service Dog: A dog trained to assist an individual who has a mobility or health impairment. Types of duties the dog may perform including carrying, fetching, opening doors, ringing doorbells, activating elevator buttons, steadying a person while walking, helping a person up after the person falls, etc.

B. Responsibilities of Persons with Disabilities Using Service Animals on Campus

Individuals with disabilities, including regular visitors, who utilize service animals on campus grounds are encouraged to complete a UCSC Animal Registration/Pet Permit Form signed by the Campus Animal Control Officer. (Note: support animals must receive prior approval before being brought onto campus; see Section II.D.). Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to affiliate with the Disability Resource Center. Staff and faculty are encouraged to contact the Disability Management Coordinator in the Staff Human Resources Benefits Office. For use of a service animal by a resident or potential resident in University Housing, see Section II.C. of this document.

Partners are responsible for any damage caused by their animals and must take appropriate precautions to prevent property damage or injury. The cost of care, arrangements and responsibilities for the well-being of a service animal are the sole responsibility of the partner at all times. Service animals on campus must:

1. Meet Legal Requirements: All requirements for the presence of animals in public places (vaccinations, licensure, ID tags, etc.) mandated by state or local ordinances must be followed, including but not limited to:
   • a. For dogs only, a Santa Cruz County Animal Services Dog License, updated yearly.
   • b. If the animal is intact (not spayed or neutered), a Santa Cruz County Animal Services Unaltered Animal Certificate, updated yearly.
2. Be under Control of Partner: The partner must be in full control of the animal at all times. Reasonable behavior is expected from service animals while on campus. If a service dog, for example, exhibits unacceptable behavior, the partner is expected to employ appropriate training techniques to correct the situation.
3. Adhere to Cleanup Rule: The partner must follow local clean up ordinances when the animal defecates. Individuals with disabilities who physically cannot clean up after their own service animal may not be required to pick up and dispose of feces.

C. Service Animals in University Housing

Service animals may not reside in University Housing without prior written approval as described in this section.

Procedures for Approval of Service Animals in University Housing

1. Incoming residents must submit requests to have service animals in University Housing with their initial housing application. Existing residents must submit requests at least four weeks prior to the date the animal is expected to be in residence.

    

   To make a request, contact the appropriate office: Students submit appropriate documentation to the Disability Resource Center. Faculty/Staff who reside in university owned housing as a condition of employment submit documentation to the Disability Management Coordinator in the Staff Human Resources Benefits Office. If residing in university-owned housing, but it is not required as a condition of employment, submit documentation to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Colleges and University Housing.

   The documentation required must include:

   1. A letter with the prospective resident's explanation of the tasks or function the animal has been trained to perform as a disability-related accommodation, the type of animal, a description of the animal (e.g. weight, breed, etc.) and the animal's name.
   2. Medical documentation that meets the UC Santa Cruz documentation guidelines as maintained by the Disability Resource Center (DRC)–specifically, the section of the guidelines that lists the key elements of documentation.

   Copies of these guidelines are available on the DRC website and at the appropriate office. It is strongly advised that the prospective resident give a copy of the relevant medical documentation guidelines to his/her treating clinician. Insufficient documentation that does not meet UC criteria may result in accommodation delays or denial. For housing requests, Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) definitions with respect to disabilities shall apply.

2. The request will be reviewed by the appropriate office. A recommendation will be made to the Associate Vice Chancellor for the Colleges and University Housing, who will make the final decision whether to deny or approve the request. The requesting individual will be notified in writing of the decision by the AVC for CUHS within five business days of the date the request was received by the AVC from the appropriate office.

 

3. If the request is approved, the requesting individual must:
   
   1. Follow all sections of the UC Santa Cruz Service Animal Policy.
   2. Register the animal with the campus Animal Control Officer before move-in is allowed.
   3. Sign and submit to University Housing, the Guidelines for Maintaining a Service or Support Animal in University Housing.

D. Support Animals

Support Animals, as defined in Section III. Definitions, may be permitted on the UC Santa Cruz campus on a case-by-case basis. Before bringing a support animal onto campus grounds, the requesting individual must submit appropriate documentation. Requests to have a support animal on campus for disability accommodation purposes will be evaluated by the appropriate office.

Procedures for requesting permission for a support animal:

1. To make a request, contact the appropriate office: Students and regular visitors contact the Disability Resource Center. Staff and faculty contact the Staff Human Resources Benefits Office/Disability Management. Documentation required must include: 
   
   1. A letter with the partner's explanation of the need for the animal, the type of animal, a description of the animal and the animal's name, the date when medical diagnosis prescribed such an animal, the date when the animal was acquired and the areas of campus where the support animal is needed.
   2. Medical documentation that meets the UC Santa Cruz documentation guidelines as maintained by the Disability Resource Center (DRC)–specifically, the section of the guidelines that lists the key elements of documentation. Copies of these guidelines are available on the DRC website and the DRC office. It is strongly advised that a copy of these guidelines be given to the treating clinician. Insufficient documentation that does not meet UC criteria may result in accommodation delays or denial. Documentation must also include the clinician's professional opinion regarding the need for a support animal. For housing requests, Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) definitions with respect to disabilities shall apply.
   3. Specify areas of campus where support animal is needed.
      • Classrooms, offices, laboratories and grounds: Requesting individuals should explain in their letter why the support animal is needed in non-residence campus facilities or on the campus grounds at large.
      • Housing: Requests for support animals in University Housing will be processed per Section II.C. of this document. Permission to have a support animal in University Housing does not mean permission to have the support animal in other campus facilities or on campus grounds at large.
2. The DRC or SHR Disability Management Coordinator will notify the requesting individual in writing of the decision within ten business days of the date the required documentation is received. If the request to have a support animal on-campus is approved, the partner is expected to abide by all sections of the UC Santa Cruz Service Animal Policy.

E. Areas Off Limits to Service and Support Animals

The university must allow a service animal to accompany the individual with a disability at all times and everywhere on campus except where service animals are specifically prohibited. Support animals are allowed only in pre-approved areas of campus as established in Section II.D. The following areas are generally off limits to service and support animals:

• Research and Teaching Laboratories (or other Research Facilities): Natural organisms carried by dogs and other animals may negatively affect the outcome of research. At the same time, chemicals and/or organisms used in research may be harmful to service and support animals.
• Mechanical Rooms/Custodial Closets: Mechanical rooms, such as boiler rooms, facility equipment rooms, electric closets, elevator control rooms and custodial closets, are off-limits to service animals. The machinery and/or chemicals in these rooms may be harmful to animals.
• Areas Where Protective Clothing is Necessary: Any room where protective gear or clothing is worn is off-limits to service and support animals. Examples impacting students include the foundry, glass laboratory, wood shops and metal/machine shops.
• Areas Where There is a Danger to the Service Animal: Any room, including a classroom, where there are sharp metal cuttings or other sharp objects on the floor or protruding from a surface; where there is hot material on the floor (e.g. molten metal or glass); where there is a high level of dust; where there are harmful chemicals or materials; or where there is moving machinery is off-limits to service and support animals.

F. Removal/Relocation of Service and Support Animals

Service and Support Animals may be ordered removed by the animal control officer for the following reasons:

• Disruption: A partner may be directed to remove an animal that is unruly or disruptive (e.g. barking, running around, bringing attention to itself, jumping up on people). If the improper behavior happens repeatedly, the partner may be prohibited from bringing the animal into any university facility until the partner can demonstrate that s/he has taken significant steps to mitigate the behavior. Any animal that exhibits aggressive or unsafe behavior may be prohibited from University facilities.
• Ill health: Animals who are ill should not be taken into public areas. A partner with an ill animal may be asked to leave university facilities.
• Uncleanliness: Partners must ensure that their animals are kept clean and well-groomed. Partners with animals that are excessively unclean (e.g., flea infested, foul-smelling and/or shedding excessively) may be asked to leave university facilities.

Service and Support Animals and partners may be relocated to a different university housing facility or an alternate office location when the presence of an animal conflicts with another resident's or co-worker's disability (e.g. severe allergies, phobias, etc).

G. Grievance Procedures

A decision may be appealed, in writing, within 15 business days of the date of the decision letter. Please seeADA Grievance Procedure as published on UCSC's ADA Compliance website. Appeals must state a specific reason for reconsideration. Decisions on appeal shall be final.

• Students: Written appeals must be submitted to the Student Judicial Officer.
• Staff and Faculty: Written appeals must be submitted to the ADA Compliance Officer for Employment Issues.

III. Definitions

Service Animal: " . . . 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" (ADA). If an animal meets the definition of a service animal, it is considered a service animal regardless of whether it has been licensed or certified by a state or local government or a training program.

Support Animal: Animals that individuals with disabilities might utilize for support or assistance, but which do not meet the ADA criteria for Service Animal. Types of support animals might include emotional support animals or seizure response animals. Support animals are not Service Animals.

Partner/Requesting Individual: The individual with a disability who utilizes a service or support animal as an accommodation.

Individual with a Disability:

1. An individual with a disability is a person who 1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or 2) has a record of such an impairment or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment (ADA definition).
2. An individual with a disability is a person who 1) has a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more of a person's major life activities or 2) has a record of having, or being perceived as having, a physical or mental impairment. It does not include current or illegal use of, or addiction to, a controlled substance (FEHA definition).

Accommodation: Any change in the work/school/housing environment or in the way things are customarily done that would enable a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal opportunities and access.

IV. Getting Help

V. Applicability and Authority

This policy, UC Santa Cruz Service Animal Policy, applies to all campus units without exception.

This campuswide policy is new and clarifies, but does not supersede, the UCSC Non-Research Animals on Campus Policy as it pertains to service and support animals for individuals with disabilities.

The Disability Resource Center is the campus authority for the UC Santa Cruz Service Animal Policy. This policy was reviewed and approved by the Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor on June 4, 2008.

VI. Related Policies/References for More Information

Related Policies and Procedures

UC Policy SPS0005: UCSC Non-Research Animals on Campus Policy

ADA Grievance Procedure

References

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)

University of Wisconsin-Madison ADA Campus Service Animal Policy

Santa Cruz City Municipal code, Title 8, Animals

Santa Cruz County Code, Vol. 1, Title 6, Animals

Related Forms

Guidelines for Maintaining a Service or Support Animal in University Housing