Service Animal Procedures

IMPLEMENTED: 1 December 2003, Revised 26 June 2007, 6 April 2009

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 through the college’s Disability Access Services office.
  2. Employees may request to have a service animal as a workplace accommodation through the college’s ADA Coordinator in Human Resources.
  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
An animal individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.  Tasks may include guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, pulling a wheelchair, or retrieving dropped items.  A service animal must be a dog or other common domestic animal; excluded animals include rabbits, farm animals, ferrets, rodents, reptiles, and other members of the wild kingdom.
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
An animal being trained to become a service animal. It has the same rights as a fully trained 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 Students.  The officer will report the incident to the Campus Dean of Students.
    2. The Campus Dean of Students (or designee) will investigate all reported concerns and cases where service animals have been temporarily removed from campus.  The Dean of Students (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 Students (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 Students (or designee) will work with staff from Disability Access 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 Response Teams ("ERTs") should be trained to recognize service animals and access 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 and/or animal may be confused from any stressful situation. ERTs should be aware that animals may be trying to be protective and, in its confusion, should not to be considered harmful. ERTs should make every effort to keep a service animal with its partner; however, the ERTs' first effort should be toward the partner, which may result in the animal being left behind in some emergency evacuation situations.