STUDENTS

Emotional Support and Service Animals

Following are the guidelines and responsibilities for individuals requesting a pet/animal in college facilities. Pets/animals are prohibited from all college facilities except for:

1. Animals used for teaching/competition with prior approval of Executive Vice President.
2. Service animals assisting an individual with an ADA defined disability.

The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.

Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him or herself. "Seeing eye dogs" are one type of service animal, used by some individuals who are blind. This is the type of service animal with which most people are familiar. But there are service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities. Some examples include:

1. 1. Alerting persons with hearing impairments to sounds.
   2. Pulling wheelchairs or carrying and picking up things for persons with mobility impairments.
   3. Assisting persons with mobility impairments with balance.
      Source: https://www.ada.gov/archive/animal.htm

The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidelines for students requesting permission to have a pet/animal in college facilities. Employees requesting a disability accommodation of a service animal must contact the Director of Human Resources.

Definitions
Federal regulations define a “service animal” as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” A service animal is permitted to be in a college facility, unless the animal’s behavior necessitates removal. 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. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Procedure
Colby Community College is committed to comply with state and federal laws regarding individuals with disabilities. A special accommodation request is made through the Disability Office, located in Student Support Services (SSS) and required documentation must be provided. A committee will review each student’s documentation and request for special accommodations. The committee will approve or deny accommodations for each student requesting services and notify the student in writing.

A service animal may be permitted in a college housing facility as a reasonable accommodation only if approved by the committee and based on the following:

• The student has a documented disability;
• Required documentation is provided, as requested by the Disability Office;
• The animal is a service animal (as defined by the ADA);
• A signed letter on professional letterhead from a licensed physician, psychiatrist, social worker or mental health professional that states the nature of the disabling condition or impairment.

Upon approval of special accommodations by the committee, a student who desire to have a service animal in college housing must submit the appropriate residence hall application paperwork and $175 deposit required of all students. Availability of campus housing is not guaranteed as campus housing is available on a first-come, first serve basis to all students upon submission of the required application paperwork and $175 deposit.

A service animal will not be permitted in a college facility if the animal:

• Poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others;
• Causes substantial physical damage to the property of others;
• Poses an undue financial or administrative burden; or
• Fundamentally alters the nature of college operations.

A service animal that is disruptive, or that is not housebroken, will not be permitted in college facilities. Disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to, barking, jumping on individuals, growling at individuals, or the owner’s failure to have the animal on a leash when in common/shared areas of the college campus.

A student who is permitted to have a service animal in a college facility is financially responsible for any property damage caused by the animal. The student is responsible for the care of a service animal, and for cleaning up any waste created by the animal.
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)
Emotional Support Animals, are not permitted on the CCC campus.  However, requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the animal may be a service animal. Before bringing a support animal onto campus grounds, the requesting individual must submit a request and appropriate supporting documentation. Requests for a support animal will be evaluated by the Disability Office, Director of Counseling, and Residence Life staff.  All paperwork and documentation must be on file before requests will be evaluated.

Should an emotional support animal be approved, the following policies and procedures are in place to ensure the protection and comfort of all students.

Annually Students with Emotional Support Animals (ESA) must:

1. Register their ESA with the Disability Office before the animal is brought to campus, including all paperwork and deposit;
2. Pay a $350 damage deposit. This deposit may be refundable upon checkout.
3. Have updated ESA vaccination paperwork with Residence Life;
4. Keep the ESA in the student's room. ESA are not allowed to be loose in lobbies or hallways. ESAs are not allowed to be kept in other students’ rooms.
5. Maintain the animal’s health and well-being; Students must keep animals up-to-date on all shots and proper grooming;
6. Pay for any damage to Colby Community College property caused by their animal;
7. Clean up after their ESA inside and outside;
8. Keep their animal on a leash or in a secure kennel when the animal is outside their room;
9. They must take their ESA with them when leaving campus overnight (includes breaks and when halls are closed);
10. ESAs are not permitted in the classroom, meeting areas, cafeteria, or any other college facility or event;
11. All students with an ESA must live in Living Center East or Living Center North in a single unit.

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Registration at Colby Community College Includes:

• Signed Colby Community College ESA contract;
• Up-to-date vaccination record and proof of spay or neuter for ESA;
• Letter from mental health professional;
• Certification as a Registered Emotional Support Animal
• City of Colby registration form signed by city clerk (dogs only);
• $350 damage deposit.

Students must have all paperwork completed and submitted to the Disability Office before an animal is brought to campus.

Emotional Support Animal Deposit
Students must pay a $350 deposit to the Student Accounts office before they are allowed to bring their ESA onto campus. This deposit may be refundable if the student checks out of the residence hall and no damage to Colby Community College property has been assessed by housing staff. If the ESA damages property at a value that exceeds the deposit, the student will be billed for the remaining cost to cover repairs.

Emotional Support Animals must:

1. Be at least one (1) year of age or older. Students and emotional support animals live closely together in the residence halls. Disease can spread if the animal does not have all of its vaccinations. Animals that are too young for all vaccinations may be susceptible to disease and illness;
2. Be spayed or neutered; animals must be fixed to prevent behavior issues, pregnancy, and accidents;
3. Have certification as a Registered Emotional Support Animal;
4. Be house trained;
5. Dogs must be registered with the City of Colby and comply with the Colby’s dog breed restrictions;
6. Must be friendly with both people and animals.

If mistreatment or neglect is occurring to either the animal or Colby Community College property, Colby Community College has the right to have the animal removed from campus. If a residential student does not follow policy, Colby Community College has the right to remove the animal from campus immediately.

ADOPTED: December 2019
REVIEWED: September 2021