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Animal Policy

For reasons of health, safety, compassion for animals, and inconvenience to other students; animals other than Service Animals and approved Emotional Support Animals, the presence of which is required by law, are not permitted in college buildings or on college properties.

Service Animals Policy

Saint Michael’s College recognizes that Service Animals can play an important role in facilitating the independence of some individuals with certain types of disabilities. In addition, the health and safety of Saint Michael’s College students, faculty, and staff are important concerns. Therefore, Service Animals that meet the criteria described below will be exempt from the College’s Animal Policy.

College community members who have questions or concerns about the presence of Service Animals on campus should direct those questions to the Dean of Students, Director of the Bergeron Wellness Center, or the Director of Accessibility Services.

Service Animals

A Service Animal is defined for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar federal and state laws as any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or task must be directly related to the person’s disability. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding a person with impaired vision, alerting a person with a hearing impairment, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, and/or performing other duties. Trained Miniature Horses are also considered to be Service Animals in some cases. Service Animals are working animals, not pets. The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition (see the College’s “Emotional Support Animal” Policy). Service Animals in training who are with a member of the College community who has a disability, and with whom the animal will be working as a Service Animal, are considered to be Service Animals for the purposes of this policy.

Students with Service Animals are permitted generally to bring their Service Animals in all areas of a place of public accommodation, such as classrooms, residence halls (including the private residence assigned to the student), activities and events, and dining facilities.

However, Service Animals are not permitted if they pose a direct threat to health or safety, if their presence constitutes a fundamental alteration to the nature of a program or service, if they cannot effectively be controlled, or if they are not housebroken.

Students planning to bring a Service Animal to campus are encouraged to work closely with the Student Life Office and the Office of Accessibility Services. Students intending to keep a Service Animal in a residence hall are encouraged to provide notice to the Director of Residence Life at least 30 days in advance on an accommodation form obtained from the Student Life Office. When it is not readily apparent that the animal is a Service Animal, the Director of Residence Life may ask the student if the animal is required because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform, but will not ask about the nature of the student’s disability for this purpose. The Director of Residence Life will not require documentation about the training of a Service Animal.

Students are encouraged to provide identification that the animal is a Service Animal so that others are aware it is a working animal.

See below for a description of the student’s responsibilities and the reasons for removal of Service Animals.

Requirements of Service Animals and Their Owners

  • The owner of the animal must be in full control of the animal at all times.

  • Animals must be licensed in accordance with municipal regulations and, if appropriate, must wear a valid vaccination tag.

  • Animals must be in good health. Any service animals occupying College housing must have an annual clean bill of health from a licensed veterinarian.

  • Service Animals should wear some type of easily recognized identification symbol (i.e., harness, backpack).

  • The owner is responsible for appropriate waste clean-up and overall cleanliness of the animal.

  • The owner is responsible for the appropriate management of his or her animal in all College facilities. Disruptive and/or aggressive behavior on the part of the animal may result in the owner being asked to remove the animal from college facilities.

  • The owner is responsible for any property damage or personal injury caused by the animal, or pest control (i.e. flea treatment) required because of the animal.

Etiquette with Service Animals

  • Allow a Service Animal to accompany their owner at all times and everywhere on campus except where Service Animals are specifically prohibited.

  • Do not pet a Service Animal without permission of the owner; petting a Service Animal when the animal is working distracts the animal from the task at hand. Service dogs typically wear a leather harness, scarf or sign to indicate they are working animals.

  • Do not feed a Service Animal. The animal may have specific dietary requirements.

  • Do not deliberately startle a Service Animal.

  • Do not separate or attempt to separate an owner from her or his Service Animal.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Saint Michael’s College recognizes that Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) can play an important role in facilitating the independence of some individuals with certain types of disabilities. In addition, the health and safety of Saint Michael’s College students, faculty, and staff are important concerns. Therefore, ESAs that meet the criteria described below will be exempt from the College’s Animal Policy. College community members who have questions or concerns about the presence of an ESA on campus should direct those questions to the Director of Housing Operations or the Director of Accessibility Services.

An ESA is any animal that does not meet the definition of “Service Animal” outlined in Saint Michael’s College policy but that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more symptoms or effects of a residential student’s disability.

With advance approval, a student with a disability may have an ESA in their residence hall as an accommodation. The ESA must either be: within the confines of the owner’s residence hall; with the owner on the grounds immediately surrounding the hall; or with the owner in other outdoor areas where animals are not prohibited. Only ESAs that do not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, that do or would not cause substantial physical damage to college property or the property of others, or that do or would not fundamentally alter housing operations will be allowed. Though a request may be made at any time, the Student Life Office of Student Life and the Bergeron Wellness Center requests appropriate documentation for need to be made at least two weeks prior to an ESA’s arrival on campus, so that the College can review the request thoroughly.

Qualifications and Process

  1. Students who are interested in having an ESA on campus should contact the Office of Accessibility Services or the Bergeron Wellness Center to initiate the process. The Emotional Support Animal Request Form will be made available to the student.

  2. The request must be supported by documentation from a licensed mental health professional (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker) or otherwise qualified medical professional (e.g., a physician or physician’s assistant) who is providing on- going treatment for the condition that causes the disability. The documentation must include the information requested on the College’s Request for Information Re: Emotional Support Animal form. That form requires the student and their treating professional to provide, in general, information about:

    • The student’s physical or mental impairment and how it substantially limits one or more major life activities;

    • The proposed ESA; and

    • Why, in light of the student’s disability, the ESA is necessary to provide the student an equal opportunity to use and enjoy College housing.

  3. Once submitted, the request will be reviewed by:

  1. Director Of Accessibility Services

  2. Director Of Bergeron Wellness Center

  3. Director of Housing Operations

  4. Director of Residential Operations and Systems

    The student will be notified of the outcome of the request. If approved, the student must provide a physical description of the animal, and must agree that if their request to reside with an ESA is granted, they will comply with all of the terms and conditions of the College’s Emotional Support Animal Agreement, which include the “Responsibilities of the Owner” specified below. It is recommended that the animal is at least 12 months old and has been in the possession of the owner or family for at least 6 months.

Responsibilities of the Owner

Owners granted the accommodation of an ESA in their residence hall unit will be subject to the following rules, in addition to any other College rules not specifically related to ESAs. The owner must:

  • Keep the Animal in Residence Hall Unit or Other Approved Areas. An ESA must either be: within the confines of the owner’s residence hall; with the owner on the grounds immediately surrounding the hall; or with the owner in other outdoor areas where animals are not prohibited. The animal must be contained within the owner’s privately assigned individual living accommodations except to the extent the owner is taking the animal out for natural relief. When the animal is outside the private individual living accommodations, it must be in an animal carrier or controlled by a leash or harness. ESAs are not allowed in any College facilities other than the housing to which the resident is assigned.

  • Keep the Animal under Control. The ESA must be properly housed and restrained or otherwise under the dominion and control of the owner at all times. No owner may permit the animal to go loose or run at large. If an animal is found running at large, the animal is subject to immediate removal from college housing. Likewise, the animal cannot exhibit aggressive behavior towards other animals or people. Such behavior will be grounds for immediate removal of the animal from campus.

  • Abide by Laws and Policies. The owner must abide by current city, county, and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. It is the owner’s responsibility to know and understand these ordinances, laws, and regulations. The College has the right to require documentation of compliance with such ordinances, laws, and/or regulations, which may include a vaccination certificate and license. Additionally, the owner must abide by all equally applicable residential policies, such as assuring that the animal does not unduly interfere with the routine activities of the residence or cause difficulties for other individuals who reside there.

  • Ensure the Animal is Well Cared For. The owner is required to ensure that the ESA is well cared for at all times. Any evidence of mistreatment, abuse, neglect, or leaving the animal unattended for unreasonably long periods of time may result in immediate removal of the animal and/or discipline for the responsible individual pursuant to the Saint Michael’s College Student Code of Conduct and/or any housing-related sanctions. College personnel will not provide care or food for any animal including, but not limited to, removing the animal during emergency evacuation for events such as a fire or fire alarm. Emergency personnel will determine whether to remove an ESA and may not be held responsible for the care of, damage to, or loss of the animal. Additionally, ESAs may not be left overnight in college housing to be cared for by any individual other than the owner. If the owner is to be absent from the residence hall overnight or longer, the animal must accompany the owner. The owner is responsible for ensuring that the animal is contained appropriately when the owner is not present during the day if attending classes or engaging in other activities.

  • Be Responsible for Property Damage. The owner is required to clean up after and properly dispose of the animal’s waste in a safe and sanitary manner and, when provided, must use animal relief areas designated by the College. The College may charge an individual accompanied by an ESA for any damage caused by their ESA beyond reasonable wear and tear to the same extent that it charges other individuals for damages beyond reasonable wear and tear. The owner's living accommodations may also be inspected for fleas, ticks or other pests if deemed necessary. If fleas, ticks or other pests are detected through inspection, the owner will be billed for the expense of any pest treatment above and beyond standard pest management in the residence halls. The College will have the right to bill the owner’s account for unmet obligations under this provision.

  • Notify the Office of Student Life if ESA is No Longer Needed. An ESA is allowed in college housing for only so long as it is necessary because of the owner’s disability. The owner must notify the Office of Student Life if the ESA is no longer needed or is no longer in residence. If an owner wishes to replace an ESA, the owner must, at a minimum, provide with respect to the proposed replacement ESA the information about proposed ESAs that is requested on the Information About the Proposed ESA portion of the Request for Information Re: Emotional Support Animal form; the College will determine on a case-by-case basis what if any other information and related documentation needs to be provided with respect to a proposed replacement ESA, and will determine whether to approve or deny a request for a replacement ESA. The College will inquire annually regarding any potential changes in a student’s need for an ESA.

  • Remove the Animal if Directed by the College. The College reserves the right to direct the student to remove the animal from campus if:

    • The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or causes substantial property damage to the property of others, including College property;

    • The animal’s presence results in a fundamental alteration of a college program;

    • The owner does not comply with the Responsibilities of the Owner set forth above and/or an Emotional Support Animal Agreement signed by the owner; and/or

    • The animal or its presence creates an unmanageable disturbance or interference with the College community.

Violations of this policy will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.