ESA

Student Service Animal and Emotional Support/Assistance Animal Policy

I. Service Animals 1

II. Emotional Support/Assistance Animals (ESA) 2

III. Process for Registering Service Animals or Requesting Approval of Emotional Support/Assistance Animals 3

IV. Owner Responsibilities for Approved Animals on Campus 4

V. Complaint Processes 5

VI. Important Contacts 6

 

Wellesley College is committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to the College’s programs, services, and activities.  Animals are generally not permitted on the College campus or in residential housing.  Service Animals are welcome on campus, and approved Emotional Support/Assistance Animals (ESA) may be permitted on campus with prior approval.  Both types of animals are subject to reasonable restrictions and/or considerations allowed by law.  

Students are not allowed to have pets inside any indoor spaces owned or controlled by the College, including residential housing.  Animals that are solely pets of students and/or guests and kept for companionship are only permitted on the Wellesley campus in public outdoor spaces, such as sidewalks.  Student and guest pet owners are expected to keep their animal with them and on a leash at all times and to clean up after their animals.  

  1. Service Animals

A Service Animal is defined as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.  The work or tasks performed by a Service Animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.   Service Animals are permitted to accompany their owners in all areas of campus including residential housing and classrooms in accordance with the Owner Responsibilities outlined in this Policy.  However, Service Animals may be restricted from certain spaces when their presence would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program or activity; or where the animal’s presence poses a threat to the health or safety of others.  The Director of Disability Services will make the determination, on a case-by-case basis, regarding whether the animal should be restricted from an area on campus for these reasons.  If a location is restricted to the Service Animal, an interactive process to explore alternate reasonable accommodations will be initiated.

All Service Animals must be housebroken and must remain under the care and supervision of their owner at all times.  The Service Animal must be under the owner’s control at all times, on a leash, harness or other tether.  Owners are encouraged to have their Service Animals wear an identifying vest or other indication of their role as a Service Animal.  A Service Animal who is out of the owner’s control or who is otherwise in violation of the Owner Responsibilities may be removed from campus.

In situations where it is not obvious that the animal is a Service Animal, College staff or faculty may only inquire whether: (1) the animal is a Service Animal required because of a disability and; (2) if the Service Animal has been trained to perform a task related to the disability.  College staff or faculty, with the exception of the limited inquiries by the Office of Disability Services, will not request any documentation for the Service Animal, request that the Service Animal demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability.

  1. Emotional Support/Assistance Animals (ESA)

An Emotional Support/Assistance Animal (ESA) is defined as an assistance animal that offers support to alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of an owner’s disability.  There must be an identifiable and medically indicated relationship between the individual’s disability and the assistance that the ESA provides.  Dangerous, poisonous, and illegal animals are not permitted as an ESA.  Guests to Wellesley College, who are not students or employees, are not generally allowed to bring ESAs to campus or into residential housing without prior permission from the College. 

Unlike Service Animals, an approved student ESA will only be permitted in a student’s room in residential housing and outdoor areas of campus.  The ESA will not be allowed in any other building or facility on the Wellesley campus, including classrooms.  An ESA should not be in the hallways in residential housing except when being taken outside.  A request to have an ESA anywhere on campus other than the student’s room will have to submitted in writing to the Office of Disability Services and will be considered on a case-by-case basis as part of an interactive process regarding disability accommodations.  An ESA who is out of the owner’s control or who is otherwise in violation of the Owner Responsibilities may be removed from campus.

When considering an ESA, here are some questions to ask yourself:

  1. How will you access supplies (e.g. food, litter, cleaning supplies) for your animal while you are living on campus?

 

  1. How much time and attention will your animal require from you on a daily basis to stay healthy and happy? How much time will it take to clean up after your animal? 

 

  1. What is the size of the animal?  Will it have sufficient space to be healthy and happy in your room in residential life?

 

  1. What veterinary clinic will you be using for your animal?  How will you get to and from the clinic if your animal is ill or needs vaccinations?

 

  1. What are the licensing and vaccination requirements for the town of Wellesley for your animal?  Is your animal in compliance with those requirements?

 

  1. What will you do with your animal when you need to be out of town or off campus for an extended period of time? 

 

  1. What will happen to your animal when the school year is complete?  Will you be able to take your animal home with you?  How will you get it home?

 

  1. Who will take care of your animal in case of an emergency?

 

  1. Process for Registering Service Animals or Requesting Approval of Emotional Support/Assistance Animals

 

  1. Service Animals 

 

A student wishing to bring a Service Animal onto College property need not request prior permission.  The College does, however, request that Service Animal owners notify the College of the need for a Service Animal’s presence in advance of coming to campus with the animal by registering with the Office of Disability Services (disabilityservices@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2434).  The student may be asked whether the animal is needed because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.  Any additional questions will be focused primarily on ensuring that the College can properly meet the needs of other students with which the Service Animal may interact.  For example, if a Service Animal is going to live in the residence halls, the College would like to be able to assess surrounding student needs to ensure that other students are not allergic to the Service Animal. Absent extenuating circumstances, the College will typically be able to accommodate a Service Animal in residential housing.  If an extenuating circumstance does occur with regard to a Service Animal, the College will request a meeting with the student to discuss effective alternatives.  

 

Students who will need a Service Animal on campus are encouraged to meet with Office of Disability Services to discuss any other accommodations that might be needed regarding their disability.  They can also receive, upon request, a written letter from the Disability Services Office that confirms that the Service Animal is allowed on campus and any reasonable restrictions that may apply for health or safety purposes.  

 

  1. Emotional Support/Assistance Animals (ESA)

Students requesting to keep an ESA on campus should work with the Office of Disability Services (disabilityservices@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2434) and utilize the process set forth at www.wellesley.edu/disability/requests.  As part of the accommodation process, students requesting an ESA will need to provide documentation regarding their medical need for an ESA.  ESAs should not be brought into residential housing unless and until written notice of approval from the Office of Disability Services has been received.  As with Service Animals, the Office of Disability Services or the Office of Residential Life may notify roommates or others residing in close proximity to the animal in housing about the presence of the ESA to ensure that everyone will be able to coexist with the animal without triggering allergens or other student concerns.  Anyone with concerns about the ESA due a medical condition (e.g. allergies, asthma) should contact the Office of Disability Services.  Individuals with other concerns about the presence of the ESA in housing should contact the Office of Residential Life (reslife@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2679).  

Each academic year, student owners must submit a renewed written request for review of the approval of their ESA.  Any approval of an animal under this Policy is only valid for the academic year in which it was issued.  The Director of Disability Services may waive the requirement for an annual review as appropriate.

If the request to bring an ESA into residential housing is denied, the student owner will be notified in writing.  The student owner then has the right to file a grievance requesting a review of that denial.  Any grievance must be filed with the Office of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/504 Coordinator (504coordinator@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2451) within five (5) business days after the written denial and will proceed under the grievance process relating to disability accommodations.

  1. Owner Responsibilities for Approved Animals on Campus

The “Owner” of a Service Animal or ESA is defined as the student with the disability who is the primary handler of that animal.   In order to maintain a Service Animal or ESA on campus, the Owner must comply with all of the following conditions.  Failure to comply with any of these requirements may result in the removal of the animal from campus.

  1. The Owner will be responsible for the conduct of the animal at all times.

 

  1. The animal must be under the control of the Owner at all times, either on a leash, harness or other tether.  When the Owner is not present in their residence on campus, the animal must be placed in an appropriate crate or carrier.

 

  1. The animal must not adversely impact routine activities on campus nor be disruptive to the environment.  If disruptive behavior occurs, the Owner is expected to utilize appropriate humane techniques to deal with the behavior immediately.  Examples of disruptive behavior include but are not limited to excessive barking, meowing, scratching, screeching, growling or making other noises.  

 

  1. The animal cannot pose a threat to the health or safety of others.  The Owner is responsible for any injury to others or damage to property caused by the animal.

 

  1. The animal must be well cared for, clean, and be in good health.  The care of the animal is the sole responsibility of the Owner.

 

  1. The animal’s vaccinations must be kept current and rabies vaccination tags (if applicable) must be displayed at all times.  The animal must be licensed as required by the town of Wellesley.  The Owner may be required to provide proof of vaccination and licensing to the College.  

 

  1. The Owner must maintain their residence with the animal in a clean and sanitary condition and control odors.  The College reserves the right to inspect the owner's residence to ensure that sanitary and safe conditions are being maintained.  The Owner will be financially responsible for any expenses required for cleaning beyond routine maintenance.  The College shall have the right to bill the Owner’s account for unmet obligations under this provision.

 

  1. The animal must be housebroken or maintained in a manner where waste can be contained and cleaned up.  All waste must be disposed of properly.  The proper place for the disposal of animal waste will be decided by the Office of Residential Life, in conjunction with facilities.

 

  1. The Owner must provide flea and tick control for the animal at all times (as applicable).  If fleas, ticks or other pests are detected in the residence through routine inspection, they will be addressed by a College-approved pest control service.  The Owner will be billed for the expense of any pest treatment beyond standard pest management in the residence halls.  The College shall have the right to bill the Owner’s account for unmet obligations under this provision.

 

  1. The Owner may not leave the animal for extended periods or overnight.  If the Owner is leaving the residence for more than a few hours, the animal must accompany the Owner.  The Owner may not leave the animal in the care of others while on campus.  The animal must be kept in an appropriate crate or carrier when the Owner is not present.

 

  1. The Owner may not leave the animal on campus during holidays or breaks when the Owner will not be in residence.

 

  1. The animal may not pose an undue financial or administrative burden to the College.

 

  1. The Owner must notify the Office of Residential Life (reslife@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2679) and the Office of Disability Services (disabilityservices@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2434) in writing if the approved animal is no longer needed or is no longer in residence.  To replace an approved ESA with a different animal, the Owner must file a new request in writing to the Director of Disability Services.

 

  1. The Owner agrees to continue to abide by all other residential and College policies.

 

  1. The Owner understands that the animal is their personal property and the College is not liable for any theft, loss, or injury to the animal.

 

The College reserves the right to remove an animal from campus and/or from residential housing and to revoke any prior approval if the Owner fails to comply with any of these responsibilities or if the College discovers that false or misleading information was provided by the Owner in support of the approval of the animal.  This discovery may lead to other disciplinary concerns in the appropriate conduct process.  

  1. Complaint Process 

Any member of the Wellesley community may submit a complaint about a Service Animal or ESA believed to be in violation of the requirements of this Policy or a complaint raising objections to placement of a Service Animal or ESA in their residence.

Complaints can be submitted to the Director of Residence Life & Housing (reslife@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2679) or the Director of Disability Services (disabilityservices@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2434).  Residential Life will be responsible for addressing complaints regarding student Service Animals or ESAs in residential housing through the appropriate conduct process and will determine the appropriate process for addressing complaints regarding Service Animals or ESAs outside of housing.   

At the College’s discretion, the Owner may be given notice of the concern or failure to comply with the Policy and a may be given a reasonable time to correct the violation.  The College also may immediately remove an animal from campus, while a conduct process is pending, when the animal poses a risk of harm to others.  

If the Owner is found to be violation of this Policy, and the violation is not/cannot be remedied, the College can (1) remove the animal from residential housing, (2) relocate the Owner and animal within residential housing, and/or (3) remove the animal from campus completely.  A determination regarding whether this Policy has been violated and the appropriate sanction, including but not limited to the removal of an animal from campus, will be made through the appropriate Residential Life conduct process.  The student will receive written notification when an animal is to be removed from campus/housing or relocated or when the approval for that animal has been revoked.  If a previously approved animal is removed from residential housing by the College for any reason, the Owner is expected to fulfill their housing obligations for the remainder of the housing contract.

A student has the right to file a grievance requesting a review of the College’s decision to remove an animal from campus or residential housing.  Any grievance must be filed with the Office of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/504 Coordinator (504coordinator@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2451) within five (5) business days after the written notification of removal, relocation or revocation and will proceed under the grievance process relating to disability accommodations.

In the case of removal or grievances, as set forth above, the College will consider carefully all rules and laws regarding the animal in question, as well as the individualized needs of the student.  In particular, the College will make extensive efforts to ensure that Service Animal Owners can successfully maintain their animals on campus.

Retaliation against anyone submitting a complaint or reporting concerns under this Policy or otherwise participating in a College inquiry or investigation is prohibited.  

  1. Important Contacts 

 

Office of Disability Services

Clapp Library 316

disabilityservices@wellesley.edu

781-283-2434

 

Office of Residential Life

Billings Hall 106

reslife@wellesley.edu

781-283-2679

 

Office of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/504 Coordinator

Schneider Center 214

504coordinator@wellesley.edu

781-283-2451