Service Animal Procedures

Service Animal Policies

Implemented: 1 December 2003
Revised: 26 June 2007, 6 April 2009, 1 February 2011

I. Introduction

Portland Community College ("PCC") Board Policy B416 addresses the college’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the "ADA") and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ("Section 504"). The following procedures implement this policy with regard to the use of service animals by qualified students, employees, and guests with disabilities in District facilities and on District campuses.  The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that qualified students, employees, and guests with disabilities who have service animals can participate in and benefit from District services, programs, and activities, and to ensure that the District does not discriminate on the basis of disability as identified in Titles I and II of the ADA and state antidiscrimination laws (ORS 659A.100-659A.127 and 346.610-346-687).  These procedures are supported by the college’s Risk Services Policy regarding animals on PCC premises (Section 11.A).

II. Primary College Contacts

  1. Students may request to have a service animal accompany them on campus as an accommodation.  Please contact the college’s Disability Services Counselor on your campus or Disability Access Services for information regarding this process.
  2. Employees may request to have a service animal as a workplace accommodation.  Please contact the college’s ADA Coordinator in Human Resources for information regarding this process.
  3. Guests may be accompanied by a service animal when participating in programs and accessing services without requesting an accommodation.  Please contact the college’s ADA Coordinator for accommodation questions. 

III. Definitions

A. Service Animal
A dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.  Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the law.  Tasks may include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, pulling a wheelchair, or retrieving dropped items.  Dogs that are not trained to perform tasks that mitigate the effects of a disability, including dogs that are used purely for emotional support, are not considered service animals and are not allowed on the PCC premises.
B. Partner/Handler
A person with a disability who uses a service animal as an accommodation or a trainer.
C. Team
A partner/handler and a service animal.  The two work as a cohesive team in accomplishing the tasks of daily living.
D. Trainee
A dog being trained to become a service animal has the same rights as a fully trained service animal when accompanied by a partner/handler and identified as such.

IV. General Rule Regarding Service Animals

As a general rule, PCC will modify policies, practices, and procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability.

V. Restrictions/Areas of Safety

PCC may impose some restrictions on service animals for safety reasons.  Restrictions are considered individually to determine if the animal poses a danger or could be in possible danger, and to determine if other reasonable accommodations can be provided to assure the individual equal access to the activity.  Questions about restrictions on service animals should be directed to the contacts listed in Section II.

VI. Responsibilities of Individuals Using Service Animals

An individual with a service animal is responsible for the following:

  1. Registering the animal with the appropriate college department (see Section II).
  2. Ensuring that the animal meets any licensing requirements of the state of Oregon.  The animal must be immunized in accordance with state and local requirements for that type of animal.  Dogs are required to wear a dog license tag at all times.
  3. Ensuring that the animal is in a harness or on a leash or tether at all times.  Exceptions may be considered individually.
  4. Ensuring that the animal is under control and behaves properly at all times.  The supervision of the animal is solely the responsibility of its partner.  If the animal’s behavior becomes a problem, the matter will be addressed individually by Campus Public Safety.    
  5. Ensuring that all city ordinances or other laws regarding cleaning up after the animal defecates are followed.  Individuals with disabilities who physically cannot clean up after their own animals are not required to pick up and dispose of feces; however, these individuals should use marked service animal toileting areas where provided.
  6. Ensuring that the animal is in good health.  If the animal becomes ill, the partner/handler must remove it from the area and college staff may require it to leave.
  7. Complying with PCC’s Code of Student Conduct, Personnel, and Board policies.
  8. PCC may exclude a service animal from all parts of its property if a partner/handler fails to comply with these restrictions in a manner that fundamentally alters the nature of PCC’s programs or services, or poses a threat to the health or safety of others.

VII. Requirements for Faculty, Staff and Students

Members of the PCC community are responsible for the following:

  1. Allowing service animals to accompany the partner/handler at all times and everywhere on campus except where animals are specifically prohibited.
  2. Not distracting a service animal in any way.  Do not pet, feed, or interact with the animal without the partner/handler’s permission.
  3. Not separating a partner/handler from a service animal.

PCC may take disciplinary action against any individual who fails to abide by these guidelines.

VIII. Temporary Exclusion of Service Animals

A community member may report a concern regarding a service animal to Campus Public Safety.

  1. Exclusion of a Student’s Service Animal:
    1. In response to an immediate concern, Campus Public Safety may determine that a service animal must be removed from campus on a temporary basis.  The officer will notify the student of this decision and that the incident will be turned over to the Campus Dean of Student Development.  The officer will report the incident to the Campus Dean of Student Development.
    2. The Campus Dean of Student Development (or designee) will investigate all reported concerns and cases where service animals have been temporarily removed from campus.  The Dean of Student Development (or designee) will consult with appropriate college personnel and determine whether or not the animal should be excluded from campus on a permanent basis.  The Dean of Student Development (or designee) will notify the student of the college’s decision
    3. If it is appropriate for the animal to be excluded from campus permanently, the Dean of Student Development (or designee) will work with staff from Disability Services to ensure the student receives appropriate accommodations in place of the use of a service animal.
    4. A student who does not agree with the resolution may file a complaint or formal grievance.  The College’s “Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook” provides information on these procedures.
  2. Exclusion of an Employee’s Service Animal:
    1. In response to an immediate concern, Campus Public Safety may determine that a service animal must be removed from campus on a temporary basis.  The officer will notify the employee of this decision and that the incident will be turned over to the ADA Coordinator.  The officer will report the incident to the ADA Coordinator.
    2. The ADA Coordinator will investigate all reported concerns and cases where service animals have been temporarily removed from campus.  The ADA Coordinator will consult with appropriate college personnel and determine whether or not the animal should be excluded from campus on a permanent basis.  The ADA Coordinator will notify the employee of the college’s decision.
    3. If it is appropriate for the animal to be excluded from campus permanently, the ADA Coordinator will ensure the employee receives appropriate accommodations in place of the use of a service animal.
    4. An employee who does not agree with the resolution may file an appeal or formal complaint following the College’s ADA Procedures.
  3. Exclusion of a Guest’s Service Animal:
    1. In response to an immediate concern, Campus Public Safety may determine that a service animal must be removed from campus on a temporary basis.  The officer will notify the individual of this decision and that the incident will be turned over to the ADA Coordinator.  The officer will report the incident to the ADA Coordinator.
    2. The ADA Coordinator will investigate all reported concerns and cases where service animals have been temporarily removed from campus.  The ADA Coordinator will consult with appropriate college personnel and determine whether or not the animal should be excluded from campus on a permanent basis.  The ADA Coordinator will notify the individual of the college’s decision.
    3. If it is appropriate for the animal to be excluded from campus permanently, the ADA Coordinator will ensure the individual receives appropriate accommodations in place of the use of a service animal.
    4. An individual who does not agree with the resolution may file an appeal or formal complaint following the College’s ADA Procedures.

IX. Conflicting Disabilities

Individuals with medical issues who are impacted by animals (such as respiratory diseases) should contact those departments noted in Section II if they have a concern about exposure to a service animal.  The individual will be asked to provide medical documentation that identifies a disability and the need for an accommodation.  The appropriate PCC staff will facilitate a process to resolve the conflict that considers the needs/accommodations of all persons involved.

X. Clarifying an Animal’s Status

In many cases it is easy to discern whether or not an animal is a service animal by observing the animal’s harness, cape, or backpack, or the partner/handler’s disability.  However, in other cases, an animal may only have a leash or the partner/handler’s disability is not apparent.  Therefore, it may be appropriate for designated staff (i.e., Campus Public Safety officers, program managers, or designee) to ask (1) whether the animal is required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.  Other questions regarding the status of a service animal should be referred to the contacts noted in Section II. 

XI. Emergency Situations

Emergency Responders (ERs) are trained to recognize service animals and to be aware that animals may try to communicate the need for help.  Also, an animal may become disoriented from the smell of smoke in a fire or laboratory emergency, or from sirens, wind noise, or shaking and moving ground.  A partner/handler and/or animal may be confused from any stressful situation.  ERs should be aware that animals may be trying to be protective and, in its confusion, should not be considered harmful.  ERs should make every effort to keep a service animal with its partner/handler; however, the ER’s first effort should be toward the partner/handler, which may result in the animal being left behind in some emergency evacuation situations.