Assistance Animal Handler Responsibilities and Guidelines Form

If the University grants an individual’s request to live with an emotional support animal, the handler is solely responsible for the custody and care of the emotional support animal and must meet the following requirements. Please review the owner responsibilities and guidelines below and verify understanding of these conditions. 

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The handler must abide by current city, county, and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. It is the handler's responsibility to know and understand these ordinances, laws, and regulations. The University has the right to require documentation of compliance with such ordinances, laws, and/or regulations, which may include a vaccination certificate. The University reserves the right to request documentation showing that the animal has been licensed. Housing and Residence Life will be responsible for verifying all documentation requested regarding a request for an emotional support animal.
The handler is required to clean up after and properly dispose of the animal's waste in a safe and sanitary manner and, when provided, must use animal relief areas designated by the University.
The handler is required to ensure the animal is well cared for at all times. Any evidence of mistreatment or abuse may result in immediate removal of the emotional support animal and/or discipline for the handler.
The University will not ask for or require an individual with a disability to pay a fee or surcharge for an approved emotional support animal.
An individual with a disability may be charged for any damage caused by his or her emotional support animal beyond reasonable wear and tear to the same extent that it charges other individuals for damages beyond reasonable wear and tear. The handler's living accommodations may also be inspected for fleas, ticks or other pests, if necessary, as part of the University's standard or routine inspections. If fleas, ticks or other pests are detected through inspection, the residence will be treated using approved fumigation methods by a university-approved pest control service. The handler will be billed for the expense of any pest treatment above and beyond standard pest management conducted in University housing facilities. The University shall have the right to bill the individual's account for unmet obligations under this provision.
The handler is responsible for ensuring that the animal remains in good health while residing in university housing, and for ensuring that the animal is properly groomed. Residents may not use university housing showers/bathtubs/sinks to clean their animals. Students are required to keep their animals clean and such bathing and grooming activities shall occur off campus. Students shall maintain the animals so that other individuals are not unreasonably exposed to odors from the animals.
The handler must fully cooperate with University personnel with regard to meeting the terms of this policy and developing procedures for care of the animal (i.e., cleaning the animal, feeding/watering the animal, designating an outdoor relief area, disposing of feces, etc.).
Emotional support animals may not be left overnight in University housing to be cared for by any individual other than the handler. If the handler is to be absent from his/her residence hall overnight or longer, the animal must accompany the owner. The owner is responsible for ensuring that the emotional support animal is contained, as appropriate, when the handler is not present during the day while attending classes or other activities. The handler must identify an emergency contact that resides outside of university housing and within 1-hour driving distance that can retrieve and care for the animal in the event of an emergency.
The handler agrees to abide by all equally applicable residential policies that are unrelated to the individual's disability such as assuring that the animal does not unduly interfere with the routine activities of the residence or cause difficulties for individuals who reside there.
An emotional support animal is allowed in University housing only as long as it is necessary because of the owner's disability. The owner must notify the Office of Housing and Residence Life in writing if the emotional support animal is no longer needed or is no longer in residence. To replace an emotional support animal, the new animal must be necessary because of the handler's disability and the handler must follow the procedures in this policy and the Reasonable Accommodation Policy when requesting a different animal.
Animals may not reside within University housing while pregnant and the University may request documentation that the animal has been neutered.
University personnel shall not be required to provide care or food for any emotional support animal including, but not limited to, removing the animal during emergency evacuation for events such as a fire alarm. Emergency personnel will determine whether to remove the animal and may not be held responsible for the care, damage to, or loss of the animal.
The individual must provide written consent for University personnel to disclose information regarding the request for and presence of the emotional support animal to those individuals who may be impacted by the presence of the animal including, but not limited to, potential and/or actual roommate(s)/neighbor(s). Such information shall be limited to information related to the animal and shall not include information related to the individual's disability.
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Your Assistance Animal Handler Responsibilities & Guidelines Form has been submitted. Your request will be reviewed once all documentation has been received by Housing & Residence Life. Please check your 海角社区 Email regularly for status updates.