As established and defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals shall not be excluded from Kenyon College facilities or events. To ensure appropriate processing and support of service animals in residence, students with service animals are strongly encouraged to contact Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) prior to their arrival to campus.
Definitions
Federal law defines a service animal as a dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. Other animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability.
A handler is the individual with a disability who utilizes a service animal as an accommodation.
Staff may ask the following questions of a handler and their service animal:
- Is the animal a service animal required because of a disability?
- What task has the animal been trained to perform?
Access and Permissions
The College strongly encourages a handler who requires a service animal to register their service animal with SASS.
A handler who has registered their service animal with SASS should work with the Office of Residential Life to determine an appropriate housing assignment that is consistent with their class year and accommodation.
Service animals may be limited in size with regard to residential room availability. The student-owner will not be granted a larger space to accommodate the service animal and/or associated materials and supplies.
In the case of new or changing room or roommate assignments, the Office of Residential Life is permitted to inform roommate(s) of the type of animal that will be residing in the space.
Handlers with service animals must comply with the guidelines that are listed in this document.
Handler Responsibilities
- The handler is responsible for controlling the behavior of the animal at all times while on College property and when attending College-sponsored events.
- As stated in the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered outside of the handler's assigned residence room, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices.
- If the animal displays aggression or is a threat to the safety of others, the handler shall immediately remove the animal from the area.
- Handlers must comply with all village, county and state ordinances, laws and/or regulations, as well as College and Office of Residential Life policies, pertaining to animals. These include, but are not limited to, Ohio animal cruelty and neglect laws.
- The handler is solely responsible for properly containing and disposing of all animal waste. Animal waste must be placed in a sturdy plastic bag and tied securely before being disposed of in outside trash dumpsters.
Animal Health and Well-being
Handlers must comply with all village, county, and state ordinances, laws and/or regulations, as well as College and Office of Residential Life policies, pertaining to animals. These include, but are not limited to, Ohio animal cruelty and neglect laws, vaccination and registration tags, etc.
The College may take reasonable efforts, pursuant to Ohio law, to remove an animal confined in a vehicle on College property when there appears to be imminent danger to the animal due to inadequate ventilation or temperature conditions. The College is not liable for any associated repair/damage costs to the vehicle for this action.
The handler must provide appropriate food, water and shelter for the service animal and keep the animal and its shelter clean and free of odors.
In some circumstances, the Office of Residential Life may allow an animal control officer or humane society representative to enter the handler’s room/apartment and remove the service animal if, in the College’s judgment, the handler has: abandoned the service animal; left the service animal in the room for an extended period of time without food or water; or failed to care for a sick service animal.
It is recommended the service animal be spayed/neutered, if applicable.
The animal must remain free of communicable diseases and transmittable parasites.
Service animals must receive monthly preventative flea and tick treatments.
Handler residential spaces may be inspected for fleas, ticks or other pests during standard housing inspections or as needed. If fleas, ticks or other pests are detected through inspection(s), the residential space will be treated using approved fumigation/cleaning methods by a third-party, college-approved pest control/cleaning service. Handlers will be billed for the expense of any pest treatment or cleaning above and beyond normal required pest management/cleaning.
Kenyon College is not responsible for the care, health, loss or death of the animal.
Animals are not to be bathed in residential showers, tubs or sinks. Animal cleaning and other hygienic maintenance for animals should not be done on campus.
In the event of an emergency, College officials and emergency responders will prioritize the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff and guests on campus. Officials and responders are not responsible for removing service animals during an emergency, and may not be held responsible for the care, damage to or loss of the service animal.
In the event of an emergency, on campus personnel designated to respond are expected to recognize service animals and their role in communicating their handler’s need for assistance. Responders should make every effort to keep the service animal with its handler. The handler should make every effort to control the service animal during an emergency situation and be prepared to muzzle or restrain the service animal as needed. Handlers are encouraged to develop an emergency response plan with the Office of Campus Safety and the Office of Residential Life.
Privacy
SASS and the Office of Residential Life will only share information regarding a handler and service animal to other individuals on a need-to-know basis. This includes, but is not limited to, Campus Safety personnel, custodial, grounds and maintenance personnel, and emergency services.
Other Considerations
Kenyon College reserves the right to remove a service animal in the event that the handler does not comply with the guidelines listed in this document.
Approval for a service animal may be revoked under the following conditions: the service animal is not housebroken, the service animal exhibits out-of-control behavior, the service animal is not approved by local ordinances, the service animal demonstrates a threat to the health and safety of others, or the service animals hinders the peace and enjoyment of the community by its other members.
Repeated, excessive or severe violations of any of the provisions outlined in this document may result in one or more of the following: removal of the animal from campus; banning of the animal from all or part of campus; disciplinary action against the handler in accordance with other applicable College policies.
Any violation of the above rules may result in immediate removal of the service animal from the College and may be reviewed through the appeal processes outlined in the Kenyon College Student Handbook.