ADA Rules regarding service dogs

We’ve had some questions regarding service animals in the library. The information in purple is Tarleton’s policy on emotional support/comfort animals. Service animals and support/comfort animals are not the same.

 

ADA rules

“Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with dis­abilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pull­ing a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.”

 

“When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.”

 

“Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effec­tive controls.”

 

Tarleton Policy for Emotional/Support Animals
Emotional support animals are protected under the Fair Housing Act, and are only permitted on campus as outlined in the agreement with Residential Living and Learning. They should not be inside any University facilities besides the assigned residence hall. If a student in the library identifies an animal as an emotional support/comfort animal, they are in violation of their contract with RLL and should be reported to Shelly Brown.

 

If you have any questions or concerns if a situation with a dog indoors arises, do not hesitate to contact a supervisor. Thank You!