Animal Campus Etiquette Reminder

Dear students,

This email is meant to provide helpful information and tips on how to engage with emotional support animals and service animals on campus both for the emotional support animal/service animal’s owner/handler as well as community members at large.

Service Animals and Service Animals in Training

Service animals are defined as working animals that have been trained to perform specific tasks for the person with a disability. It is the policy of Mount Holyoke College that service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are generally permitted in all Mount Holyoke facilities, programs and activities, except as described below or otherwise governed by applicable law.
 

The College may restrict the use of service animals in certain locations. Service animals may be restricted when their presence would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program or activity; or where the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The safety of locations will be considered on a case by case basis by the Director of Accessible Education and 504 Coordinator, sometimes in collaboration with the director of human resources, the laboratory director or professor, and the College risk management team. If a location is determined to be unsafe, reasonable accommodations will be provided to ensure the individual equal access to the activity.
 

Within Massachusetts’ laws, service animals in training are given the same rights as fully-trained service animals.

For both Service Animals and Services Animals in Training, please adhere to the following to protect both the animal and the animal’s handler:

• Approach the handler, not the service dog
• Do not take pictures of the team (handler/service dog)
• Never touch a service dog without asking permission first
• Keep your dog away from service dog
• Never offer food to a service dog
• A sleeping dog is still on the job
• Let the owner know if a service dog approaches you

An unattended service dog is a sign its owner needs help! There are exceptions to every rule. If a service dog approaches you without its handler, don’t just shoo it away. If a service dog nudges you with its nose or barks at you with no owner in sight, it's a clue that the dog is seeking help. In this case, follow the dog. It will lead you to its owner. Identify the situation, and if necessary, call Public Safety & Service at 413-538-2304 immediately.

While access rights are legally afforded to users of service animals, that access is accompanied by the responsibility of ensuring that animals act and respond appropriately at all times while in public and that users/handlers adhere to the same socially accepted standards of behavior as other members of the College community. Please review the Service Animal Policy for more information.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are animals that provide emotional support to a person with a disability, just by its presence but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Emotional support animals are an accommodation approved by Disability Services. Students must both be approved for the accommodation and submit the required information, which is reviewed in the accommodation appointment before the animal arrives on campus. Students approved for an emotional support animal must follow the guidelines that are provided in their signed animal contract.

• Do not attempt to pass off an ESA or other animal as a service animal or service animal in training.

Dining Commons

Animals should not eat or drink out of the kitchenware in the dining commons; this includes plates, bowls, cups, the utensils etc. Nor should they be eating on the tables.

Service animals and service-animals in training are allowed in the dining commons. However, they are working and should not be eating or drinking in the commons.

Emotional Support Animals are not permitted in the dining commons.

Residence Halls

Service animals and service-animals in training are allowed in all areas of the residence halls.

Emotional support animals are only allowed in the private residence hall room of the approved owner of the animal and in hallways and stairwells when on their way in or out of the building. ESAs are not allowed in any other buildings on campus.

Service animals, service animals in training and emotional support animals should only be washed in the laundry sink if needed.


Animal Waste

Cleaning up after your animal isn’t the most glamorous duty, but have you considered the community impact you have when you don’t clean it up? If you are lax when it comes to cleaning up after your furry friend, these reasons should change your mind:

For all animal owners, please be sure you are using the appropriate bin! Each residence hall has a specific trash bin for animal waste. This includes dog waste bags, rabbit bedding, cat litter, etc.

For Dogs: All animal waste affects our water, and dogs are no exception. Fecal matter could wind up in lakes, streams, ponds, and other local water sources. Cleaning up after your dog is simply part of being a good neighbor as others can use the grounds around the building. Cleaning up (picking up and disposing of fecal matter) immediately after your dog goes to the bathroom makes life easier for you, your neighbors, and your dog!

For Cats: While cat litter can be cumbersome to deal with, it’s important to dispose of your litter in the proper, labeled container. Similarly, please be sure to clean your litter box regularly and promptly – smells can inadvertently spread beyond your space and into hallways, neighboring rooms, etc.

Animal Well Being

Students are responsible for the well-being of their animals throughout the academic year and break periods.

If there is a concern regarding the wellbeing of an animal, or the behavior of an animal on campus you can fill out the incident reporting form. This report will be reviewed by the Director of Community Standards, and result in a meeting to determine how to help students comprehend the impact of their actions, and align actions to our community's ideals of Responsibility, Honor & Respect.

Any claims of discrimination because of a disability or failure to provide reasonable accommodations regarding the use of a service animal on campus may be brought by any person (student, faculty, staff and visitor) to the Director of Accessible Education and 504 Coordinator.