Assistance Animals On-Campus
As a general rule, animals are not permitted in campus buildings. However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its 2010 amendments establish that service animals shall not be excluded from College facilities or activities. The ADA defines service animals as: “…dogs (or miniature horses) that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Examples of such work or tasks include:
- Alerting people who are deaf
- Pulling a wheelchair
- Alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure
- Reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications
- Calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack
Service Animals Policy
All service animals are welcomed at Bucks per federal and state law. Students at Bucks are not required to register with TAO if they have a service animal but are highly encouraged to do so. This will enable TAO staff to provide greater supports for the student and to also mitigate any conflicts with teacher or student needs in the classroom. This can include allergies and/or phobias. The full policy on Service Animals can be found in the Policies and Procedures web page.
Service Animals may travel freely with their Owner throughout the college and most other areas of the college where the Owner would be permitted. Food service establishments must allow Service Animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises. However, the college may prohibit the presence of Service Animals in certain locations due to health and safety concerns. Service Animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the Service Animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. The college is not responsible for a Service Animal during a fire alarm, fire drill, or natural disaster.
Emotional support animals are not permitted on campus or in the classroom. An Emotional Support Animal (or “ESA”) is an animal that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Unlike a Service Animal, an ESA may not accompany a person with a disability at all times and is permitted only in college housing. The full policy on Service Animals can be found in the Policies and Procedures web page.
Once accommodations are put into place, or a Service Animal is on campus, it is the responsibility of the student to follow the Service Animals policy. If any student feels that they need additional supports or accommodations to meet the requirements of the Service Animals policy, they should reach out to the Accessibility Office (TAO) at (215) 968-8182 or accessibility@bucks.edu.
Interacting with Students (Handlers) and Service Animals
If you have a student with a service animal in your classroom or using the services or facilities in your department, and the service animal’s purpose is apparent (i.e. guide dog for an individual without sight), you should not ask the handler any questions about the use of the animal. You may, however, discuss practical issues surrounding the use of the animal, such as appropriate seating for handler and service animal or breaks for the animal.
When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Faculty and staff may ask two questions:
- Is the service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
Please be aware: You cannot ask about the individual’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the animal, or ask that the animal demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
Service Animals in Training
According to PA law, service dogs in training are allowed on campus and in classroom and administrative buildings. Service animals in training have the same expectations for behavior and control as service animals (see next page) with the following caveats:
- Service animals in training must be at least 6 months of age.
- Must wear a vest that identifies the dog as a “service animal in training” and identifies the recognized organization with which it is training such as Guiding Eyes for the Blind or The Seeing Eye.
General Guidelines for Faculty and Staff Interacting with Service Animals
Below are some practical guidelines for working with service animals and handlers in the classroom, department/office, or at departmental functions.
- Service animals must be under the control of the handler at all times. In most cases, this means the animal should be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. If you have concerns about the control of the animal, contact TAO. The animal must be as unobtrusive as possible. The service animal should remain next to the handler at all times. Students and staff should not touch or interact with the service animal while it is working.
- If the animal displays out of control behavior (i.e. aggressive or disruptive behavior such as uncontrolled barking), you may inform the individual that the service animal must be removed from the room or activity. Never separate the service animal from the handler. You must permit the individual to continue to participate in class/activity without the animal’s assistance if the individual chooses. Please contact TAO to determine a long-term plan of action concerning the animal.
- The animal must be “housebroken”, and the handler is responsible for cleaning up after the animal. If the animal is not housebroken or the animal becomes sick (i.e. vomiting or diarrhea), you may ask the individual to remove the animal and to clean up after the animal. Again, you must permit the handler to continue to participate without the assistance of the service animal if the individual chooses.
- If other students express concerns about the animal in the classroom due to fear or allergies, you may attempt to solve the problem by placing the students in separate areas of the room. Be careful not to place either individual in a remote area or to isolate them, however. If there is no apparent solution, please contact TAO.
- If the animal poses a problem with a particular activity (i.e. a project that requires a sterile environment), you may ask the handler to remove the animal for the duration of the activity, but you must allow the individual to continue to participate in the activity. The animal may only be removed during the period where the animal presents an identified problem.
Please contact TAO if you notice an animal that is not being cared for or seems to be abused (needs water, flea infested, in poor condition, poorly treated). Bucks County Community College policy DIV-003 outlines the College’s full policy and procedures regarding animals on-campus and can be viewed on the College’s Policy Register.