SERVICE ANIMAL INFORMATION

A service animal is defined as a dog (or rarely, a miniature horse). Students may be accompanied by a service animal to assist them in performing daily life tasks, including academic and campus activities. Service animals can help in many ways, such as:

• Alerting a disabled person when their blood sugar is too high or low
• Picking up things for a disabled person

Service animals do not need a special vest or ID. Any breed of dog or miniature horse can be a service animal if it is trained to help a disabled person. If the service animal is a miniature horse, an assessment of type, size, and weight will be made to determine whether the facility can accommodate these features.

Service animals are permitted in all areas of the facility that are open to the public or students with the exception of areas where service animals are specifically prohibited due to health or safety reasons. 

• Dogs must be licensed in compliance with all required state and county regulations associated with licensing, vaccinations and other health regulations.
• The care and supervision of a service animal is the sole responsibility of the student/handler. The service animal must be kept under control at all times and not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other persons on campus. 
• Service animals on campus must be kept on a harness, leash, or other tether unless it would prevent the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks. In these cases, the service animal must be under the handler’s control using voice control, signals, and other effective means. 
• Cleanliness of the service animal is mandatory and the responsibility of the student/handler. Consideration of others must be taken into account when providing maintenance and hygiene of service animals. The student/handler is expected to clean up and dispose of all animal waste. Students who are unable to do this must make necessary arrangements for assistance. The College is not responsible for these services.

• The animal puts others’ health and safety at risk. If a service animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others on campus, an individual assessment of the situation will be conducted by campus security.
• The animal is not housebroken.
• The animal is not under the handler’s control. Students may be charged for any damages caused by their service animal.

If it’s not clear whether the animal is a service animal, staff can ask two questions:

1. Is the service animal needed because of a disability?
2. What task or job is the animal trained to do?

If the answer is “no” or the animal isn’t trained for a specific task, the person may be asked not to bring the animal. If the answer is “yes” and the task is described, the person and animal must be permitted.

Staff cannot ask for special ID or paperwork, make the animal demonstrate its skills or ask about the person’s medical details.

• ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/
• https://www.michigan.gov/mdcr/divisions/ada-compliance/service-animals