13-3 Service Animal Policy

• Effective date of this revision: October 4, 2024
• Contact for more information: Student Disability Services

BACKGROUND

Service Animals are animals trained to assist people with disabilities with daily activities. The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act allow Service Animals accompanying persons with disabilities to be on Central Michigan University campus. A Service Animal must be permitted to accompany a person with a disability on campus. However, there are some places on campus that are not safe for Service Animals; these areas are discussed in greater detail in Section III.

PURPOSE

This policy differentiates “Service Animals” from “Pets,” describes types of Service Animals, denotes campus locations that are off-limits to Service Animals, and sets behavioral guidelines for Service Animals.

DEFINITIONS

Service Animal: A dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not Service Animals.

Service Animal in Training: An animal accompanied by an animal raiser or trained with the intent that animal being raised, socialized, and trained to become a Service Animal. All restrictions and regulations applicable to Service Animals also apply to Service Animals in Training under this Policy.

Partner/Handler: A person with a Service Animal or Service Animal in Training.

Pet: A domestic animal kept for pleasure or companionship.

POLICY 

It shall be Central Michigan University policy to allow a Service Animal to accompany the Partner or Handler at all times on campus except where Service Animals are specifically prohibited under this Policy.

Touching of a Service Animal is forbidden, except upon the explicit prior consent of the Partner or Handler.

It is forbidden for anyone besides the Partner or Handler to feed Service Animals.

It is forbidden to deliberately startle a Service Animal.

It is forbidden to separate or attempt to separate a Partner/Handler from their Service Animal.

I. Requirements of Service Animals and Their Partners/Handlers

Partner/Handlers may register Service Animals with Student Disability Services. Registration is not required.

Service Animals must always be on a leash or harness at all times, except where a leash or harness would interfere with the Service Animal’s trained task. Service Animals must be under the control of their Partner or Handler at all times.

Pets are not permitted in University facilities, except that permission may be granted by a professor/instructor, dean or other college administrator for a pet to be in a campus facility for a specific reason at a specific time (e.g., a Pet is used as a demonstration tool in a zoology class.)

II. Removal of a Service Animal 

Procedure: When it is not obvious what service and animal provides to a Partner/Handler, Central Michigan University staff may ask two questions to Partners/Handlers: (1) Is this Service Animal required because of a disability, and (2) What work or task has this animal been trained to perform? A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove their Service Animal unless the Service Animal is out of control and the Partner/Handler does not effectively control the Service Animal, or if the Service Animal is not housebroken.

Disruption: A Service Animal that is unruly or disruptive (e.g. not under the control of Partner/Handler, unnecessary barking, running around, bringing attention to itself) may be removed from University facilities or programs.

Health: Service Animals that are ill must not be taken into University facilities. A Partner or Handler with an ill Service Animal may be directed to leave University facilities.

Uncleanliness: Partners or Handlers with Service Animals that are unclean may be directed to leave University facilities or programs. A Service Animal that becomes wet from such activities as walking in the rain or mud or from being splashed by a passing automobile, but is otherwise clean, shall be considered a clean animal.

III. Areas Off Limits to Service Animals 

Mechanical Rooms/Custodial Closets: Mechanical rooms such as boiler rooms, facility equipment rooms, electrical closets, elevator control rooms, and custodial closets are off-limits to Service Animals because machinery and/or chemicals in these rooms may be harmful to animals.

Areas where Protective Clothing is Necessary: Any room where protective clothing is worn is off-limits to Service Animals. Examples impacting students include chemical laboratories, wood shops, metal/machine shops and photography dark rooms.

Areas where there is Danger to the Service Animal: Any room, including a classroom, where there are sharp metal cuttings or other sharp objects on the floor or protruding from a surface; where there are hot materials on the floor; where there is a high level of dust; or where there is moving machinery is off-limits to Service Animals.

Exceptions: 

A laboratory instructor may open their laboratory to all Service Animals.

A laboratory instructor in a classroom or teaching laboratory with moving equipment may grant permission to a Service Animal to enter the laboratory or classroom with moving machinery. Laboratory instructors shall coordinate with Student Disability Services to determine if it is possible to allow a Service Animal into the laboratory space on a case-by-case basis. The final decision shall be made based on the nature of the machinery or class, the best interest of the animal, and other occupants in the space. Example: The machinery in a classroom may have moving parts at a height such that the tail of a large dog could easily be caught in it; this is a valid reason for keeping large dogs out. However, a very small hearing dog may be shorter than any moving part and, therefore, considered for admission to the classroom.

Access to other designated off-limits areas may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

A Partner/Handler who wants their Service Animal to be granted admission to an off-limits area should contact Student Disability Services (for student Partners/Handlers), Faculty Personnel Services (for faculty Partners/Handlers), or Human Resources (for staff Partners/Handlers). Visitors and contractors shall contact CMU staff responsible for the off-limits areas so the appropriate protective measures can be taken.

IV. Emergency Situations 

In the event of an emergency, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) should make every effort to keep Service Animals with their Partner or Handler. However, the ERT’s first effort should be toward the Partner/Handler; this may necessitate leaving an animal behind in certain emergency evacuation situations. The Service Animal may become disoriented from the smell of smoke from a fire or laboratory emergency, from sirens or wind noise, or from shaking and moving ground.

V. Grievance

In the event of a dispute or disagreement about a disability determination, appropriateness of an accommodation, service quality or an animal restriction, the individual should work with the Director of Student Disability Services, their Faculty Personnel Services Work Accommodation Coordinator, or Human Resources Work Accommodation Coordinator. If parties are unable to reach an agreement, the individual may contact the University’s Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity.

Central Michigan University reserves the right to make exceptions to, modify or eliminate this policy and or its content. This document supersedes all pervious policies, procedures or guidelines relative to this subject.