Disability Support Services
Service Animals
Exceptions to the policy will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Please contact the Office of Disability Support Services at (386) 226-7916.
The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees the right of persons
with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals in all
places of public accommodation under the following conditions:
---The disabling condition is substantially limiting to one or more
major life activities such as seeing, hearing,
breathing, working, thinking, or self-care.
---The service animal is individually and specifically trained to perform duties
that mitigate the disabling condition.
---The service animal is under control by the person with a disability.
Exceptions, considered on a case-by-case basis, could include areas
that necessitate protective clothing, mechanical/facility equipment
rooms, and areas that present a health or safety risk to the service
animal.
A service animal is any animal that has completed a training program
to prepare it to work and perform tasks for an individual with a
disability. These animals assist by guiding persons with visual impairment or blindness, alerting
those with hearing loss or deafness, pulling a wheelchair and fetching
objects for individuals with impaired mobility, and providing protection
and rescue services for person with seizure disorders and certain
medical conditions. The animal and the person with a disability form
a team and work together to accomplish the activities of daily living. Service
animals are sometimes called assistance animals---they are not therapy
animals, nor are they pets. Service animals are usually dogs but
may be monkeys.
Requirements for Students, Faculty and Staff:
---Service animals may often be identified by the presence of a special
harness, cape, or backpack. However, in some cases, the person/animal
team will not be identifiable as one related to disability
support. As with any unknown animal, one should never attempt to touch
or interact prior to asking permission of the accompanying
individual.
---Do not pet a service animal. Petting distracts the animal from its
work and could create
a hazard for the person with a disability.
---Do not feed a service animal. The animal may be on a prescribed diet;
feeding it could
cause the animal to become ill.
---Do not tease or deliberately attempt
to startle or frighten the animal.
---Do not separate the person with a
disability from his/her service animal for any reason.
Responsibilities of the Service Animal Partner (person with a
disability):
---Student partners
must provide evidence of the service animal's regularly administered vaccinations
against all diseases common to its species.
---The service animal must be licensed
in the state in which the student partner is attending classes.
---The service animal must wear license
and vaccination tags at all times.
---The service animal must be leashed
at all times when outside of the student partner's personal residence
(room/off campus dwelling). The service
animal must, at all times, be under the control
of the student partner.
---Service partners must clean up after
their service animal's waste. The
student service partner must carry sufficient
equipment to remove, contain, and dispose of the animal's feces. Removal of
animal feces must be immediate. Proper disposal of animal waste is
to be by flushing or burial. Individuals
with disabilities who are unable to clean up
after their service animal's waste should
notify DSS so that alternate arrangements may be scheduled.
It is unacceptable for a service animal to exhibit:
---Poor health, lack of cleanliness,
and/or aggressive behavior
---Disruptive behavior---properly trained
service animals should be housebroken and completely socialized. A
socialized animal has a good disposition, does not exhibit fear,
is calm in the presence of another animal, does
not make disruptive noises, and is not aggressive.
---Inability to be controlled/managed
by the student partner.
Questions regarding issues related to service animals may be directed
to Disability Support Services at the Daytona Beach campus (386)
226-7916/TTY (386) 226-7915.
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