Animals on Campus
Service Animals
Definition
The Americans with Disabilities Act’s regulations define Service Animal as any dog (or sometimes miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or tasks that a Service Animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort, emotional support, or companionship are not Service Animals.
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Service Animals in training have the same status as fully trained Service Animals.
In accordance with state and federal law, if a person’s disability is not visible or obvious, the College may ask the person:
- Is the dog or miniature horse a Service Animal that is required because of a disability?
- What task or service is the dog or miniature horse trained to perform?
Examples of tasks Service Animals may perform include, but are not limited to:
- Assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation
- Pushing or pulling a wheelchair
- Providing physical support or stability to individuals with mobility impairments
- Opening doors or operating elevators
- Assisting an individual during a seizure or other medical emergency
- Alerting individuals to the presence of allergens
- Retrieving items such as medicine
Services that do not qualify as work or tasks performed by a service animal include, but are not limited to:
- Crime deterrent effects
- Provision of emotional support, comfort, or companionship
If the animal qualifies as a Service Animal, the handler will voluntarily agree to comply with this policy at all times while the animal is on property owned or operated by the College.
Policy
Service Animals are permitted to go wherever their handler is permitted on all facilities maintained by the College. Therefore, an individual with a disability shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animal in all areas of the College’s facilities where members of the public are permitted. The College reserves the right to impose restrictions on the use of service animals on its property in order to maintain safety or to avoid disruption of College operations.
This policy applies only to facilities owned by the College or under its control. Please be advised that there may be restrictions imposed on the use of service animals in non-college facilities, such as hospitals or other clinical or internship experience locations. Such restrictions are established by the individual facilities according to their own policies and procedures and the College has no control over such restrictions.
Whenever possible, students, visitors, and community members with a Service Animal should notify Disability Support Services; faculty and staff should notify Human Resources. Advanced notice is not required but allows the College to be prepared to support these individuals.
Care and Control of Service Animals
All animals that pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, are disruptive to the College community, or fundamentally alter the space, will be asked to leave the area.
Specifically, animals are not permitted to:
- Encroach on others personal space
- Sit at tables or chairs in dining areas
- Be near the personal belongings of others
- Initiate contact with someone without the handler’s direct permission and the individual’s consent
- Display any disruptive behaviors or noises (such as barking, whining, growling, or leaning against people)
- Block any aisle, entrance, exit, or passageway.
The College is not responsible for the care or supervision of a Service Animal. A Service Animal must be under the control of its handler at all times. Service Animals must be on a leash or harness and always monitored while on campus. Exceptions are permitted only if a Service Animal is performing a specific task that requires it to be unleashed; the Service Animal must be otherwise under the handler’s control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means).
All animals on campus must be housebroken and the service animal’s handler must ensure the animal is toileting outside of MWCC buildings and in appropriate and/or designated animal relief areas. The handler must clean up after the animal. If due to a disability the handler is unable to do so, the handler shall make alternative arrangements to do so.
All animals must meet the applicable licensing requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Dogs are required to wear an identification tag, a current rabies tag, and a dog license tag. For non-Massachusetts residents, home state tags may be accepted.
All animals must meet the applicable immunization requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Further, the College may request documentation from a licensed veterinarian dated within the past year stating that the animal is immunized against diseases common to that type of animal within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Any person bringing an animal to campus is fully responsible for the actions of the animal on campus, including any damage, loss, or expense caused by the animal to MWCC property or third-party property as well as any injury caused by the animal to another person or animal.
In addition, from time to time, the College may use pesticides, pest control devices, de-icing materials, cleaning supplies, and other materials for the maintenance and operation of the College. MWCC is not responsible for any harm to animals on campus caused by such materials.
Exclusions or Removal of Animals from College Property
MWCC may exclude or remove an animal, including a Service Animal, if the animal’s behavior or presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; causes a disruption to the health, welfare, success, or access of members of the MWCC campus community; or if the animal or its handler violate this Policy.
MWCC may also exclude an animal, including a Service Animal, from areas where its presence fundamentally alters the nature of a MWCC program or activity. If a Service Animal is excluded or removed, MWCC will work with the person to explore options to support a person’s access that do not include having the Service Animal on the premises.
Questions or Grievances
Students with questions about their own or other animals on campus should contact Disability Support Services.
Faculty and staff with questions about their own animals on campus should contact Human Resources.
Faculty and Staff with questions about an animal on campus that is not their own, should contact Disability Support Services.
Any individual reporting a safety issue with an animal on campus should contact Campus Police.
Any person who believes that their right to use a Service Animal on MWCC property have been violated has the right to file a grievance. Students should contact Disability Support Services for the Disability Grievance Procedure. Faculty and staff should contact Human Resources.
Law Enforcement Animals
The Animals on Campus policy does not apply to animals used in law enforcement. MWCC Campus Police, independently or working with any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, may be accompanied by law enforcement agency animal(s) in performing their duties on campus.
Questions or concerns about Law Enforcement Animals should be directed to Campus Police. Any individual reporting a safety issue with an animal on campus should also contact Campus Police.
Therapy Animals
Definition
A Therapy Animal is an animal that is brought to campus by an individual or recognized group to participate in a range of animal-assisted activities, such as providing therapy and comfort.
Policy
Therapy Animals must be approved by Disability Support Services (students) or Human Resources (faculty and staff), and Campus Police before coming to campus.
Therapy Animals and their handlers must be registered with and certified by an animal-assistance intervention organization after having been trained and completed a behavioral evaluation. MWCC reserves the right to deny a request to bring a therapy animal to campus for any reason, including that there are other known Service Animals on campus that need to work without disruption.
A request for external or third-party therapy animals to visit or attend an event on campus may be denied due to the presence of college-sponsored and authorized therapy animals who have been trained to provide support through Campus Police and Counseling and Wellness Services to MWCC students and community members. To request MWCC's college-sponsored therapy animals' presence at an event or activity, contact Campus Police and/or Counseling and Wellness Services directly.
Emotional Support Animals
Definition
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) means an animal whose presence alone helps a person with a disability. An Emotional Support Animal is not a Service Animal by default and does not always accompany a person with a disability.
Policy
Emotional Support Animals are not permitted on MWCC property. Some exceptions may include outdoor spaces, such as hiking trails. Students should contact Disability Support Services, Faculty or Staff should contact Human Resources with questions about this policy.
Pets
Definition
A pet is an animal kept for personal companionship.
Policy
Pets are not permitted on MWCC property. Some exceptions may include outdoor spaces, such as hiking trails. Students should contact Disability Support Services, Faculty or Staff should contact Human Resources with questions about this policy.