Assistance Animals
To request to have an approved assistance animal on campus, we’re here to guide you through the application process.
Non-approved pets are not permitted to live or reside on college property. For further details about approved and non-approved pets, see the Pet Policy.
Definitions
Service Animal: A service animal is one that that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. These tasks include but not limited to: guiding individuals with impaired vision; alerting individuals who are hearing impaired to intruders or sound; pulling a wheelchair; or fetching dropped items.
Assistance Animal: An assistance animal, also known as an emotional support animal, is an animal selected to play an integral part of a person’s treatment process. Such an animal must demonstrate a good temperament and reliable, predictable behavior. An assistance animal is prescribed to an individual with a disability by a healthcare or mental health professional. An assistance animal is not a service animal. Unlike a service animal, an assistance animal does not assist a person with a disability with activities of daily living, nor does it accompany a person with a disability at all the times. However, an assistance animal may be incorporated into a treatment process to assist in alleviating the symptoms of that individual’s disability. This treatment occurs within the person’s residence and therefore may be considered for access to campus housing.
Pet: A pet is an animal kept for ordinary use and companionship. A pet is not considered a service animal or an emotional support animal, and therefore, it is not covered by this policy.
Service Animals and Assistance Animals in Campus Housing
Many people with disabilities use a service animal in order to fully participate in every day life. Dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities, such as providing stability for a person who has difficulty walking, picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, or alerting a person who has hearing loss when someone is approaching from behind. The ADA requires state and local government agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations (covered entities) that provide goods or services to the public to make “reasonable modifications” in their policies, practices, or procedures when necessary to accommodate people with disabilities. The service animal rules fall under this general principle. Accordingly, entities that have a “no pets” policy generally must modify the policy to allow service animals into their facilities.
General Rules
In situations where it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, staff may ask only two specific questions:
(1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
(2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability. The ADA does not require service animals to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness. The handler is responsible for caring for and supervising the service animal, which includes toileting, feeding, grooming and veterinary care.
Service animals must be allowed to accompany their handlers anywhere that is open to the general population.
Please Note: Owners of service animals are encouraged to identify emergency contacts for their animal.
1. Make a Request
1. Make a Request
1. Make a Request
This can be done by emailing disability_services@alma.edu. Students are encouraged to engage through the accommodation request process at least 30 days prior to housing selection or when the accommodation is needed.
2. Submit Documentation
2. Submit Documentation
2. Submit Documentation
Documentation includes:
- A letter from the student that gives a brief summary of why they are making the request.
- A care plan for the animal written by the student.
- Relevant veterinary records dependent on the animal.
- Animals must be up-to-date on all vaccinations and spayed/neutered (if appropriate for that animal).
- Provider Recommendation Form which must be filled out by the student’s provider who is recommending the assistance animal.
The Provider Recommendation Form must:
- Be completed by a qualified medical or mental health professional. Diagnoses of disabilities documented by family members are unacceptable.
- Be completed by a professional with first-hand knowledge of the condition(s) and sent directly from the provider’s office. Form will not be accepted from students.
- Be completed as clearly and thoroughly as possible. We recommend typing answers into the fillable PDF, as illegible handwriting will require additional follow-up. To access the fillable PDF, click “Fill & Sign” in the Toolbar on the right side of Adobe.
- Be completed with the understanding that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines the term “disability” as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.
3. Schedule an Appointment
3. Schedule an Appointment
3. Schedule an Appointment
Schedule an appointment with the Assistant Director of Student Success to discuss:
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How your condition impacts a major life function (we will not be asking for your specific condition or diagnosis information).
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Expectations of higher education including assistance animal policies, housing policies etc.
4. Determine Reasonable Accommodations
4. Determine Reasonable Accommodations
4. Determine Reasonable Accommodations
A committee made up of staff from the Academic Support, Disability Support, Housing and Residence Life, and Counseling and Wellness offices will meet on a weekly basis to determine what accommodations are best. This process can take between 1-2 weeks.
5. Agreement to Assistance Animal Policies
5. Agreement to Assistance Animal Policies
5. Agreement to Assistance Animal Policies
The Disability Services Coordinator will e-mail a copy of the assistance animal agreement and emergency contact form to be completed and returned by the student.
5. Notification of Staff
5. Notification of Staff
5. Notification of Staff
The Disability Services Coordinator will e-mail PDF copies of accommodation letters to the student’s Alma email account. They will ask permission to send accommodation letters to any necessary staff, such as Housing and Residence Life Staff.
6. Continued Interaction
6. Continued Interaction
6. Continued Interaction
Students are encouraged to work with the Assistant Director of Student Success at any point, but especially if they are experiencing any difficulty with their housing accommodations, have a new diagnosis to share, are experiencing different impacts due to medication changes or ongoing disability-related treatment or progression, or wish to discuss support resources that may be available to aid in their success.