When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Employees may ask two questions: (1) is the service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task the service animal has been trained to perform. Employees cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the service animal, or ask that the service animal demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
Allergies and fear of service animals are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals. Each request for service animal use should be considered individually recognizing that documented student academic accommodations take precedence in determining any adjustments to access.
People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be isolated from other students, treated less favorably than other students, or charged fees that are not charged to other students without animals.
A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the service animal is not housebroken. When an animal is removed pursuant to this procedure, the college will work with the handler to suggest reasonable alternative opportunities to participate in college services, programs, or activities without the animal’s presence.
