Service & Emotional Support Animals

1400.095 SERVICE & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS IN WVC HOUSING PROCEDURE

A. OVERVIEW

Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) has a general “no pets” policy in all of its buildings, including college housing. However, service animals are allowed to accompany their handlers while on campus and in their residence and emotional support/assistance animals may be requested as an accommodation in housing through the student access office.

B. SERVICE ANIMALS

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as service animal policy 500.405, a service animal is a dog or miniature horse that has been trained to perform an active task that mitigates or partially mitigates the impact of the person’s disability. If a service animal’s role is not apparent by observation, you may be asked:

1.  “Is that a service animal for a disability?” and
2.  “What service/tasks does it perform for you?”

The service animal is an access need not something that needs to be requested as an accommodation therefore you will not have to submit documentation of a disability for its use on campus, only if you are requesting separate accommodations.

C. STEPS TO HAVE A SERVICE ANIMAL LIVE IN WVC HOUSING WITH YOU

1. Students with service animals wishing to live in WVC housing are highly encouraged to contact the student access services (SAS) before or soon after the completion of the New Resident Application and Contract. This allows the SAS office to coordinate with residence life to review housing assignments to meet the needs related to space and accommodating an animal. The following factors, among others, will be considered:
   1. Impact to roommates based on any verified factors related to conflicting disabilities or health conditions.
   2. Size of the animal and whether the assigned space is appropriate to accommodate the animal.
   3. Breed of the animal, considering any potential allergies or other impacts to roommates.
2. To ensure the health and safety of all individuals on campus, students with service animals must submit the following documentation to the Student Access Services prior to the move-in date:
   1. An up-to-date veterinarian report for the service animal, which includes any necessary vaccinations. This report helps verify the animal's health and vaccination status.
   2. An acquired animal license through the city of Wenatchee. This ensures that the service animal meets the legal requirements for licensing in the local jurisdiction.

D. EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

Under housing and urban development’s rules, as well as service animal policy 500.405, assistance animals include animals that provide passive support that alleviates or at least partially mitigates an impact of a person’s disability allowing them to benefit from WVC’s programs and services. Animals providing these passive services are generally referred to as emotional support animals (ESA). Emotional support animals can be requested via student access services for allowance in the WVC Residence Hall. An ESA is not allowed inside any other WVC buildings.

E. STEPS TO HAVE AN ESA LIVE IN WVC HOUSING WITH YOU

1. To request an accommodation of an emotional support animal in the residence hall, students must follow the process for securing accommodations, as outlined on the student access services webpage.
   1. In addition to supporting medical documentation describing their medical condition, students must provide a letter from the medical practitioner that shows the need for an emotional support animal as described in the emotional support animal additional documentation guidelines, posted on the residence hall accommodations webpage.
2. Upon approval of ESA accommodation by the student access services, to ensure the health and safety of all individuals on campus, students must submit the following documentation to the Student Access Services prior to the move-in date:
   1. An up-to-date veterinarian report for the service animal, which includes any necessary vaccinations. This report helps verify the animal's health and vaccination status.
   2. An acquired animal license through the city of Wenatchee. This ensures that the service animal meets the legal requirements for licensing in the local jurisdiction.
3. The SAS office coordinates with residence life to review housing assignments to meet the needs related to space and accommodating an animal. The following factors, among others, will be considered:
   1. Impact to roommates based on any verified factors related to conflicting disabilities or health conditions.
   2. Size of the animal and whether the assigned space is appropriate to accommodate the animal.
   3. Breed of the animal, considering any potential allergies or other impacts to roommates.
4. Once all documents are submitted to the student access services, the residence life coordinator will schedule an animal care expectations meeting. Residence life staff and roommates will be notified that you have been approved to have an ESA in the residence hall.

F. ANIMAL CARE AND CONDUCT

1. All animals are the responsibility of their handlers and should be under their control (in proximity to the handler and responsive to commands, in harness, leashed or in a carrier).
2. An ESA or service animal must be housebroken and under owners’ control (voice or tether) at all times.
   1. Puppy rearing (under six months of age) which focuses on socialization and general obedience training may not qualify as housebroken.
3. An animal’s behavior is considered the handler’s behavior. If they are disruptive to college business or community behavioral expectations for educational and residential environments handlers may be asked to correct the animal’s behavior or remove it from the environment.
4. A student with a service animal or an approved ESA in the residence hall will be held responsible for any damages or extra cleaning costs associated with housing the animal.
5. An ESA may not accompany a resident inside WVC campus buildings, other than the residence hall. ESAs must be crated in the resident’s room when the resident is not at home. ESAs are not allowed in common areas of the residence hall except for times necessary to take the animal outside.

Approved by the president’s cabinet: 6/4/19, 8/15/23
Last reviewed: 8/15/23
Procedure contact: Student Access

Related policies and procedures
500.405 Service Animal Policy