Wilson College Policy on Service Animals*
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) definition of service animal: “Any
animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an
individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals
with impaired vision, alerting individuals who are hearing impaired to
intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a
wheelchair or fetching dropped items.”
An animal which meets this definition is considered a service animal regardless
of whether it has been licensed or certified by a state or local government or a
training program. Wilson College complies with the ADA in allowing the use of
service animals. However, because of health and safety concerns, use of such
animals is regulated by the Academic Support Center as part of Wilson
College’s Disability Services program.
Types of Service Dogs:
1. A guide dog serves as a travel tool for a person who is blind or has
severe visual impairment.
2. A hearing dog alerts a person who is deaf or has significant hearing loss
to sounds, knocks on the door, alarms, etc.
3. A service dog or assistance dog assists a person with mobility or health
impairment. Service dogs may carry, fetch, open doors, ring doorbells,
activate elevator buttons, steady a person when walking, help a person up
after a fall, pull a wheelchair, etc.
4. A SSigDog or social signal dog assists a person with autism in a variety
of ways.
5. A seizure response dog assists a person with a seizure disorder,
predicting an oncoming seizure, standing guard over the person during a
seizure, or going for help when necessary.
Requirements for Faculty, Staff, and Students:
1. Allow a service animal to accompany the partner/handler at all times and
everywhere on campus, including food service locations, except those
areas where, for health and safety reasons, service animals are
specifically prohibited. At Wilson College, such areas may include:
o Science Center laboratories (excluding computer labs)
o Surgical Suites in the VMT Center
o Equestrian Center barns, etc.
o Large animal pens and paddocks
If a service animal is specifically prohibited in any of these areas, the
individual/handler may request separate, reasonable accommodations from
the Academic Support Center Director.
2. Do not pet a service animal; petting a service animal when the animal is
working distracts the animal from required tasks.
3. Do not feed a service animal. The service animal may have specific
dietary requirements. Unusual food or food at an unexpected time may
cause the animal to become ill.
4. Do not deliberately startle or distract a service animal.
5. Do not separate or attempt to separate a partner/handler from his or her
service animal.
6. Notify the Academic Support Center Director or Assistant Director of any questions,
problems, or concerns you may have regarding service animals on
campus.
Requirements of Service Animals and Their Partners/Handlers:
1. Compliance with Academic Support Center Disability Service Procedures, including:
o Provision of acceptable documentation of the need for a service
animal.
o Completion of the Wilson College “Registry for Service Animals”
form.
o Proof of the animal’s up to date inoculations, etc.
o A copy of the animal’s training certificate (when applicable)
o A signed “Permission to Disclose” form allowing the Academic Support Center to notifyother campus offices and agencies and relevant staff and faculty of
the need for the animal.
2. Identification and Other Tags: The animal must have tags or some other
method of indicating ownership and rabies clearances. It is suggested
that animals be fitted with some identifying equipment such as a harness,
cape or backpack as appropriate. Minimal equipment is a leash by which
the animal is kept under control.
3. Health and Vaccinations: The animal must be clean and in good health.
Animals to be housed in campus housing must have an annual clean bill
of health from a licensed veterinarian. Dogs must have had a general
maintenance vaccination series against rabies, distemper and parvo virus.
Other animals must have had the appropriate vaccination series for the
type of animal. All vaccinations must be current. Dogs must wear a
rabies vaccination tag. Proof of vaccination must be filed with the Academic Support Center and updated at the beginning of each academic year.
4. Leash: The animal must be on a leash at all times when outside of a
residential room.
5. Under Control: The partner/handler must be in full control of the animal
at all times. The care and supervision of a service animal is the sole
responsibility of its partner/handler. The animal must be maintained and
used at all times in ways that do not create safety hazards for other
people.
6. Cleanup:
o Residential students may be asked to walk animals in specifically
designated areas.
o Always carry equipment and bags sufficient to clean up the animal’s
feces.
o Properly dispose of the feces
o Persons who are not physically able to pick up and dispose of feces
are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for assistance.
The college is not responsible for these services.
7. Training certification: If the animal is certified by a training program,
a copy of this certificate must be filed with the Academic Support Center.
Conditions for Keeping a Service Animal: The partner or handler may be
asked to remove a service animal from college facilities under the following
circumstances:
1. Disruption: The partner/handler of an animal that is unruly or disruptive
may be asked to remove the animal from college facilities. If the improper
behavior happens repeatedly, the partner may be told not to bring the
animal into any college facility until significant steps have been taken to
mitigate the behavior. Mitigation may include muzzling a barking animal
or refresher training for the animal and the partner.
Disruption may include such things as:
o Barking
o Running around, off leash or out of control
o Aggressiveness toward others (people or animals)
o Disruption or interruption of classes
2. Ill health: Service animals that are ill should not be taken into public
areas. A person with an ill animal may be asked to leave college facilities.
3. Lack of cleanliness: A partner or handler may be asked to wash or
groom a service animal whose lack of cleanliness is a disruption or
significant irritation (i.e. from the odor of the animal) before using the
animal again in campus facilities.
4. Registration Required: Any service animal who will be on campus on a
regular or extended basis (i.e. more than a one-time visit for an on campus
activity or program) must be registered with the Academic Support Center. Failure to
register or maintain a service animal as required above may result in the
College’s refusal to allow the animal to remain on campus.
Procedures for Registration of Service Animals: Any individual (student,
faculty, or staff) who is planning to use a service animal on campus is required to
register the animal with the Academic Support Center, 1st floor Thomson Hall,
x3349. Unless there is a documented need for an additional or alternate animal,
each partner should expect to designate, use, and register only one, specific,
fully trained service animal for use on campus.
Responsibilities of the handler/partner:
1. Provide sufficient documentation verifying that the animal meets the
definition of a service animal.
2. Complete the “Registry for Service Animal” form.
3. Provide evidence of animal training (if available) and current clean health
certificates (required).
4. State specific plans for maintenance of the animal while on campus.
5. Sign a Permission to Disclose form allowing the Academic Support Center to notify appropriatecampus personnel/offices of the presence of the animal and any special
circumstances relevant to the use of the animal.
6. Resident students who intend to use service animals must also notify the
Director of Resident Life (x3125) so that appropriate housing
arrangements can be made.
Responsibilities of the Academic Support Center:
1. Maintain a current registry of service animals on campus
2. Verify eligibility of owner/handler to have a service animal on campus.
3. Collect and keep on file evidence of training and current health
certificates.
4. Notify appropriate personnel/campus offices of the presence of the animal.
5. Provide the college community with information about the Service Animal
policy and guidelines for appropriate interaction with the animal.
6. Follow up on and document all questions, problems, concerns, and
complaints regarding the use or behavior of a service animal on campus,
with referral to appropriate campus offices, agencies, and/or
administrative staff when necessary.
Revised August 2010
*Policy adapted, with permission, from the Messiah College Policy on Service Animals, Messiah
College, Grantham, PA.