Policy Title: Service Animals in Classrooms	Category: Student Affairs
Owner: Vice President for Enrollment Management, Communications and Student Affairs	Policy ID#: 12-003-00.1
Contact: Disability Resources and Support Center Web: http://www.csupueblo.edu/Disability Email: DRO@csupueblo.edu Phone: 719-549-2648	Effective Date: 6/20/2013

PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY

This policy provides guidance regarding students needing assistance animals in the classroom due to a disability. Faculty will also be provided with guidance on the behavioral requirements of assistance animals in the classroom. This policy will also provide guidance to the presence of assistance animals in training in the classroom .

APPLICATION OF THIS POLICY

This policy applies to students, faculty and staff.

EXEMPTIONS FROM THIS POLICY

There are no exemptions from this policy

DEFINITIONS USED IN THIS POLICY

a. Assistance dogs: A dog that has been or is being trained as a guide dog, hearing dog, or service dog.

b. Guide dog: A dog that has been or is being specifically trained to aid a particular blind or visually impaired person.

c. Hearing dog: A dog that has been or is being specifically trained to aid a particular deaf or hearing impaired person.

d. Service dog: A dog that has been or is being specifically trained to aid a particular physically disabled person with a physical disability other         than sight or hearing impairment.

e. Trainer o(an assistance animal: A person who is qualified to train animals to serve as assistance animals.

f. Service animals: Only dogs are considered service animals.

POLICY STATEMENT

 CSU-Pueblo recognizes that some students require the aid of an assistance animal to enhance their functioning throughout the day. Such animals are individually trained to respond on cue to perform a particular behavior or task that mitigates a student's disability. Therefore, assistance animals are allowed for use within the classroom. It is recommended that students requiring assistance animals contact the Disability Resource Office.

When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, the following questions may be asked: (1) is the animal a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the animal been trained to perform . If the answer to either question is unclear, faculty and staff should contact the Disability Resource Coordinator for assistance. Questions about the person 's disability, requiring medical documentation, requiring a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or asking that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task is not permitted. If a student is a trainer of an assistance animal, the student must register the animal with the Disability Resource Office. The student must show reasonable verification that they are qualified to train the assistance animal.

POLICY PROVISIONS

Only dogs may be used as an assistance animal. The service animal must be well-behaved to remain in the classroom . The assistance animal may be removed if it is determined that the animal is not controlled properly or is disruptive in the classroom. The following are considered expected behaviors:

a. The animal must be on a leash at all times, unless impractical or unfeasible, due to owner/keeper's disability.

b. The owner must be in full control of the animal at all times.

c. The animal must be as unobtrusive as possible.

d. The animal must not sniff people, tables, shelves, or the personal belongings of others.

e. The animal must not initiate contact with someone without the owner's pennission.

f.  The animal must not display any behaviors or noises that are disruptive to others, such as

     barking, whining, growling or rubbing against other people.

g. The animal must avoid excessive personal grooming in public.

h. The animal must be trained not to be attracted to food that may be sitting nearby.

Certain locations may be considered unsafe for animals such as laboratories, mechanical rooms, or any other places deemed unsafe to the animal and/or the owner. The safety potential of each setting will be considered on case-by-case basis. When the location is determined to be unsafe for the assistance animal, reasonable accommodations will be provided to assure the student equal access to the activity.

Animals whose sole purpose is to provide emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not qualify as service animals under the ADA as amended. Requests for such an animal must be made to the Disability Resource Office.

REFERENCES

a. Colorado Revised Statute 24-34-803

b. American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended by the ADA Amendment Act of

2008)

FORMS AND TOOLS 

a. Process for Requesting Classroom Accommodations at CSU-Pueblo

b. Documentation Guidelines