Policies & Procedures

SS8004 Animals Policy

Purpose

SUNY Broome Community College strives to provide a safe and healthy working and learning environment for all members of the College community. To this end, the College generally does not permit animals on College property, particularly in controlled buildings and offices.

Statement of the Policy

The College prohibits animals from all College facilities and premises with the exception of authorized service animals, assistance animals, and working animals as defined below. Non-dangerous/companion animals are generally permitted on the perimeter of campus grounds but must be attended to, physically restrained, and under the control of the owner/person responsible for the animal at all times. Animals found running at large on campus grounds, unattended and tied to a fixed object, or in campus buildings may be impounded and turned over to an appropriate college, city, or state agency.

Service and assistance animals play an important role in enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities. Employees and students with verified and registered authorized service, assistance, and working animals are exempted from access restrictions. However, access may be limited depending upon the role of the support animal as well as the building. In addition, College offices may be exempt from this policy for College sanctioned events involving animals.

The College reserves the right to enforce all applicable local, state, and federal laws including but not limited to vaccination and licensing requirements for animals permitted to access the campus.

Related Policies/Procedures – Applicable Laws/Regulations

• SS8004.1 Animal Procedure
• Americans with Disabilities Act – Title II, 28 CFR, Section 35.136
• NYS Civil Rights Law, Article 4-B section 47-B
• Fair Housing Act – 42 U.S.C. Part 3604
• Public Health Law, Article 21, Title 4: Section 2141 (Rabies)
• Town of Dickinson – Town Code, Part II, Chapter 229 – Animals
• NYS Agriculture & Markets Law. Article 7, Licensing, Identification, and Control of Dogs
• Section 109: Licensing and Rabies Vaccination Required
• Section 111: Identification Action

To Whom It Applies

This policy applies to all members of the College community including but not limited to affiliated organizations, administrators, faculty, staff, students, volunteers, vendors, guests, and visitors.

Definitions

• Service Animals — (Americans with Disabilities Act – Title II, 28 CFR, Section 35.136)
  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a “service animal” as any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. This includes, but is not limited to, guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf/hard of hearing, and service dogs for people with physical disabilities and seizure disorders. Additionally, as written in New York Consolidated Laws, Civil Rights Law – CVR § 47-b. Miscellaneous provisions, “A person engaged in training a dog to guide or otherwise aid persons with a disability, while engaged in such training activities, and a person with a disability for whom the dog is being trained, shall have the same rights and privileges set forth for persons with a disability in this article.” Service animals are not considered “pets” and are explicitly permitted in “No Pets Allowed” areas under state and federal civil rights laws.
• Emotional Support Animals (ESA) — (Fair Housing Act – 42 U.S.C. Part 3604)
  An emotional support animal (ESA) may be an animal of any species, the use of which is supported by a qualified physician, psychiatrist or other mental health professional based upon a disability-related need. An ESA does not have to be trained to perform any particular task. ESAs do not qualify as service animals under the ADA, but they may be permitted as reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities under the Fair Housing Act.
• Therapy Animals — These animals provide people with therapeutic contact, usually in a clinical setting, to improve people’s physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning.
• Working Animals — Those animals engaged in authorized service to the College (e.g., guard dogs, pest control animals, police dogs).
• Companion Animals (Pets) — A companion animal is a domestic animal kept for pleasure, companionship, and/or feelings of safety. A companion animal is a pet and although pets are known to provide benefits to owners both with and without disabilities, the benefit is general. The animal is not specifically required on the basis of disability.

Action