Service & Assistance Animal Procedures

Service Animals:

Service animals are dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.  Service animals are permitted in every area on campus unless posted due to safety concerns.  Students with Service Animals are NOT required to register with the Disability Services office, but notification is recommended.  The ADA requires service animals be under the control of the handler.  This can occur using a harness, leash, or other tether.  It is suggested that the service animal also wear identification (e.g. identification tags, vest, bandana, etc.).  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 are not allowed to ask the student to have the animal perform the task.

The following guidelines are required for service animals on campus:

• The service animal must be vaccinated and licensed according to local or county Ordinances.         

• Animals must be under the control of the owner at all times. The Service Animal itself is an extension of the student and therefore under the same code of conduct as the student.
• The owner is responsible for waste disposal.

A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his/her service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken.  When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence. 

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)

Emotional support animals are used in the treatment of a diagnosed condition.  ESAs are not allowed in campus buildings with the exception of student housing.  Refer to the Service Animal and ESA Housing Procedures for further information.

*All Emotional Support Animal requests must be submitted to the Disability Services Office on the Levelland Campus.  Only after the Disability Office has approved the accommodation of an Emotional Support Animal and required documentation is provided to the Housing Office can the student can bring the animal to campus housing.