Service & Support Animals on Campus

1. Introduction and Purpose

Loyalist College is committed to accommodating students and employees and support their health and well being. The college is also committed to ensuring that visitors with disabilities seeking to access the college’s public spaces are accorded those rights mandated by the applicable legislation as set out in the Customer Service Standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”).

This policy has been developed to comply with the requirements of the AODA, the Ontario Human Rights Code, as well as ADMIN 116 Customer Service Policy: Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities. The purpose of this policy is to understand the rights and responsibilities of individuals with disabilities who utilize service/support animals.

2. Application

This procedure is applicable to all college employees, students, visitors, volunteers and the general public requiring the use of a service or support animal. This policy does not apply to therapy dogs used during classroom instruction.

3. Definitions

Service animal: An animal that has been specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the animal must be directly related to the person’s disability. Service animals may be identified by means of special vest, harness or collar. Alternatively, the owner may have written verification of the service animal’s status from an accredited training organization.

Support animal: A support animal may be a dog or other type of animal who provides comfort and emotional support and have not been specially trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under AODA.

4. Policy Statement

The college will make efforts to accommodate individuals to the point of undue hardship. In turn, there is an expectation of good faith when requesting an accommodation for a support animal.

A student or an employee may seek accommodation for one service/support animal. Support animal requests must be submitted annually. Examples of services provided by support/service animals include:

• Mobility
• Guidance to those with visual or hearing impairment
• Emotional or psychological support (PTSD, autism, substance abuse)
• Seizure response
• Summoning assistance and/or fetching items

All service/support animals are to be vaccinated, not poisonous and able to effectively fulfill the individual’s medical needs. This will be demonstrated by completing all relevant documentation requested by the college (see all attached appendices). It is strongly recommended that animals are spayed or neutered, if applicable.

• 4.1 Service Animals on Campus
  • Under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), a certified service animal is allowed anywhere on campus, with the following exceptions:
    • A dog is the only type of service animal permitted in food service areas (Ontario Regulation 562, section 60).
    • No type of service/support animal is permitted in any area where food is prepared, per Regulation 562.
    • In any area where the animal’s presence would create a health and safety hazard or compromise operations (e.g. laboratories). A risk assessment of the situation must be carried out and alternatives should be explored for safely allowing the animal access to its owner (e.g., can the animal be safely crated but accessible in the area).
• 4.2 Support Animals on Campus
  • Employees and students who wish to bring a support animal to their work area, classrooms, labs, tutorials, placements, and any other educational-related area deemed not to be a ‘public space’, are not covered under the provisions of AODA.
  • In supporting the well-being of the entire campus, the college reserves to ask that a support animal be removed from campus if it is disturbing any campus activities or jeopardizing the health of others. As with service animals, support animals will not be permitted where food is prepared nor in any area where the animal’s presence could create a health and safety hazard or compromise operations.
• 4.3 Service and Support Animals in Residences
  • Students will be required to complete all necessary documents before bringing the service/support animal into residence. Loyalist College has a right to refuse residence to a student with a support animal if there is impact to the health and well-being of others.

5. Related Documents

• Service and Support Animals on Campus Procedure
• Appendix A: Service and Support Animals on Campus – Medical Documentation
• Appendix B: Service and Support Animal Checklist
• Appendix C: Loyalist Residence Service and Support Animal Agreement
• Appendix D: Service and Support Animal Veterinary Form

6. References

• Ontario Human Rights Code
• Canadian Human Rights Act
• Service Animals and People with Disabilities – AODA Best Practices, June 2011
• Access for Ontarians with Disability Act, 2005
• O. Reg. 191/11 Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation