Animals on Campus

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. 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. 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.

Students looking for more information regarding the the process for requesting an ESA as an accommodation please refer the Disability Services Resource Webpage on ESAs (login required).

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

Important considerations:

Having an animal in a highly populated residential setting can be both rewarding and challenging.

• Ensure your animal will be comfortable in the densely populated, vibrant communities of our residence halls.
• Your animal must abide by quiet and courtesy hours.
• Your animal must be confined to a crate or cage when you are not in the room.
• Your animal cannot be left in the residence hall overnight if you are not there to care for it.
• Your animal cannot be left in the care of another student, including your roommate(s).
• Animals are not allowed to eat food, get on tables, or eat from plates in the dining common.
• Animal waste must be bagged and disposed of in "pet waste" trash receptacles.
• Keep common areas clean: You are the primary caretaker for the animal and should take care of all day-to-day needs and cleaning up.
• It is important to have a plan for grooming your animal either outside, at the local groomers, or during your visits home. Animals may not be cleaned or groomed in residence hall bathroom facilities.
• Keep in mind - you will be held responsible for the actions of your animal.

Proper Etiquette for Other Students

Service animals are not pets. Accordingly, the College asks that students and their visitors adhere to the following good practices when interacting with service animals and emotional support animals.

Individuals should NOT:

• Assume that the service animal is a pet.
• Pet/touch service animal without asking the handler's permission. Petting distracts them from their responsibilities.
• Pet/touch emotional support animal without asking the handler's permission.
• Make assumptions about the necessity of the emotional support animal or service animal.
• Ask the handlers about their specific conditions. Prioritize the needs of another individual over the needs of an individual with an emotional support animal or service animal. For example, we cannot restrict the access of a service animal for fear another member of the community may have an allergy. If such a conflict arises, the animal's handler and the affected party should seek immediate remediation through the conflict resolution process.
• Prioritize the needs of another individual over the needs of an individual with an emotional support animal or service animal. For example, we cannot restrict the access of a service animal for fear another member of the community may have an allergy. If such a conflict arises, the animal's handler and the affected party should seek immediate remediation through the conflict resolution process.
• Feed an emotional support animal or service animal.
• Deliberately startle, tease, or taunt an emotional support animal or service animal.
• Separate or attempt to separate animals from their handlers.
• Hesitate to ask the handlers if they would like assistance if the animal and/or handler seem confused about a direction in which to turn, an accessible entrance, the location of an elevator, etc.

Animal Wellbeing

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 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.