Service and Emotional Support Animals

It’s important to us that students receive the all the support they need to thrive while living on campus.

Service Animals

A service animal means any dog* that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Students requesting to have a service animal live with them in campus housing should make a special housing request as soon as possible, but not later than thirty (30) days prior to the desired move-in date, by contacting the Associate Director of Residence Life & Housing Operations. 

*Under Title II and III of the ADA, service animals are limited to dogs. However, entities must make reasonable modifications in policies to allow individuals with disabilities to use miniature horses if they have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.

Service Animal Rights and Responsibilities

Requirements, Rights, and Responsibilities Related to Service Animals

1. A service animal will be the full responsibility of its handler and shall be always under the control of its handler, whether by harness, leash, voice control, signals, or other effective means;
2. The handler of a service animal is solely responsible for appropriate care of the animal and for complying with state and local requirements regarding vaccinations (the service animal must wear a valid vaccination tag), as well as state and local requirements regarding licensure and leash control;
3. The service animal’s handler is responsible for prompt and thorough clean up and disposal of animal waste in a closed container and appropriate trash bin;
4. A service animal handler is solely responsible for the care and supervision of the service dog. The handler needs to be sure that the animal is kept clean and that the service animal is regularly bathed, groomed and treated for fleas and ticks;
5. The handler of a service animal will be solely responsible for any damage to the property of the College or other individuals caused by the service animal;
6. Centre College may require a service animal to be removed from campus for any of the following:

• (a) the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it;
• (b) the animal’s handler is mistreating or neglecting the animal;
• (c) or the animal is not housebroken

Further, consistent with federal and state law, a service animal may be excluded from a campus facility or program if its presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity, or would result in substantial damage to property. Decisions to remove a service animal from campus will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Note: Centre College may prohibit the use of service animals in certain locations (“restricted areas”) due to health or safety restrictions (such as food preparation areas), where service animals may be in danger, or where their use may compromise the integrity of research (such as chemistry labs). Exceptions to restricted areas may be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Public Safety and/or program chair responsible for the restricted area, as most appropriate.

Emotional Support Animals

An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides emotional support which alleviates one or more identified symptoms of a resident’s documented disability. An ESA may be considered for access to university housing; however, they are not permitted in other areas of the College. An ESA is not specifically trained and therefore is not considered a Service Animal. Students requesting to have an ESA live with them in campus housing should make a special housing request as soon as possible, but not later than thirty (30) days prior to the desired move-in date, by contacting the Associate Director of Residence.

Emotional Support Animal Policy

Determination of Emotional Support Animal Status

A student requesting an ESA as an accommodation for a disability...

1. Contacts the Associate Director of Residence Life & Housing Operations to discuss request for an ESA accommodation and to discuss the full policy as it applies to the request;

2. Provides complete documentation of the disability, which includes a statement from the student explaining the need for an assistance animal, a completed Diagnosing Clinician Form for Request for Emotional Support Animal (ESA) and proof of current vaccinations for the animal;

3. Provides an emergency contact of someone who will come and take the animal should the student be incapacitated, hospitalized, or otherwise become unable to care for the animal;

4. Provides information about the type of animal that will be kept in residence, as well as plans for care and maintenance of the animal.

Accommodation requests should be made to the Associate Director of Residence Life & Housing Operations as soon as possible upon enrollment to Centre or prior to completion of housing assignments. It is not guaranteed that Centre will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the current term of occupancy. A student dissatisfied with the College's determination that the Emotional Support Animal cannot be accommodated in campus housing may make a written request for reconsideration to the Dean of Students. 

Emotional Support Animal Rights and Responsibilities

1. An approved ESA will be the full responsibility of its owner and shall be under the control of its owner at all times, whether inside the owner's personal residence or outside. The animal must be under the control of the owner whenever the animal is outside the owner's personal residence, and that may be accomplished by leash, tether, or appropriate restraint. Also, when the animal is in the residence space of the owner without the owner being present, the animal must be restrained in a cage or crate, so that anyone else entering the room (such as facilities or other type of emergency inspection or service visit) is not required to engage with the animal;
2. The owner is solely responsible for appropriate care of the animal and for complying with state and local requirements regarding vaccinations, licensure and leash control.
3. The ESA will remain in the Owner's assigned personal residence on campus and is not permitted in other students' rooms, the common areas of the residential facilities (shared bathrooms, living rooms, hallways, kitchens) or other areas of the College such as classroom, academic buildings, administrative buildings, library, dining hall, fitness centers, pool, and anywhere else outside the owner's personal residential space. 
4. Proof of the following must be provided to the Associate Director of Residence Life & Housing Operations for canines and felines: 

Dogs:
     a. Proof of up-to-date rabies and distemper vaccinations;
     b. proof of sterilization (spaying or neutering);
     c. dogs must be over four months old and must have a KY license and wear it on a collar;
     e. dogs must be regularly bathed, groomed, and treated for fleas and ticks. 
   
    Cats:
     a. Proof of up-to-date rabies and distemper vaccinations;
     b. proof of sterilization (spaying or neutering);
     c. cats must be regularly treated for fleas and ticks. 

5. The owner is responsible for prompt and thorough clean up and disposal of animal waste in a closed container and appropriate outdoor trash bin. Dogs must be housetrained;

6. The student must provide an emergency contact of someone who will come and take the animal should the student be incapacitated, hospitalized or otherwise become unable to care for the animal;

7. Residents requiring an ESA will be placed in campus housing that is designated appropriate for an ESA;

8. If an ESA is approved for a residential space on campus, the Residence Life Staff will endeavor to notify the other residents on the floor or in the residence area where the ESA will be located, as both a courtesy to the other students and to alert them to potential health and safety concerns.

9. The owner is solely responsible for any damage caused by the approved ESA.

10. Centre College may require that the ESA be removed from campus for any of the following: 

    a. The owner of the animal is in violation of ESA policy.
    b. The animal is a threat to other College residents or is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it. 
    c. The animal's owner is mistreating or neglecting the animal.
    e. The animal's presence violates residents' rights to peace and quiet.
     f. The animal is not housetrained.  

Further, consistent with federal and state law, an ESA may be excluded from a campus facility or program if its presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity, or would result in substantial damage to property.  Decision to remove an Emotional Support Animal from campus will be made on a case-by-case basis.