Service Animal Policy

Students who attend The College of St. Scholastica may require the use of a service dog. A service dog is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as “any dog individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” The goal of a service animal is to provide a life function or task for an individual who cannot perform the task themselves. Some tasks may include but are not limited to:

  • Altering a person with hearing impairments to sounds/cue
  • Calming a person with PTSD through a flashback or anxiety attack
  • Assisting with daily life tasks
  • A service animal is not a pet

The College encourages but does not require students who use a service animal to register with the Center for Equal Access. The Center will assist students to navigate College systems and inform the campus community of responsibilities or the greater community. The student using a service animal on campus is responsible for the animal, which includes:

  • The service dog must be well-behaved and must not pose as an interruption to learning
  • The service dog must be in the control (on a leash, harness, etc.) of the handler at all times
  • The handler of the service dog must be able to manage elimination by the animal
  • The handler of the service dog is responsible for any property damage caused by the animal
  • The service dog may be prohibited from any areas or situations which could cause harm to the animal (such as laboratories). You can find more in our service animals in Labs Guidance Document
  • The service dog must have distinguished markings which indicate the animal is a service dog
  • The service dog alters the fundamental outcomes or technical elements of the program, course or activity
  • Notifying Residential Life of the presence of the service animal in Campus Housing

The College is responsible for educating the community on how to behave and act in the presence of a service animal. College employees and agents of The College are only allowed to ask two questions of the individual who presents with a service dog:

  1. Is this a service animal?
  2. What tasks is the dog trained to perform?

College representatives are not allowed to ask:

  • The individual to demonstrate the trained tasks of the service animal
  • The individual to prove the animal has been trained
  • The individual is required to vest or clearly mark the service animal
  • The individual the nature or extent of their disability

Service Dog vs. Emotional Support Animal

Emotional Support Animals do not fall under the guidelines of ADA. An animal with a purpose of providing emotional support, comfort, therapy or companionship is not considered a service animal. If you are requesting an Emotional Support Animal, please see the Center for Equal Access.

*There are exceptions to a service dog including provisions regarding miniature horses. Any requests of having a miniature horse on campus will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

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