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Service Animals at CCA

Last updated on Apr 06, 2023

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Service Animal

CCA complies with all applicable laws in permitting the use of service animals by members of the CCA community and visitors on campus.

“A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”

Americans with Disabilities Act


Guidelines

Service animals under this policy are trained to perform work or a specific task to assist an individual with a disability in the activities of daily living.

A service animal is typically permitted to accompany the student at all times and in all campus locations where students are permitted access.

Exceptions

Service animals may not be permitted in certain areas of campus if a service animal's presence threatens the integrity of health or safety.

Restricted areas may include but are not limited to the following areas:

  • Custodial closets,
  • Boiler rooms,
  • Facility equipment rooms,
  • Areas where protective clothing is necessary,
  • Wood and metal shops, and
  • Rooms with heavy machinery.

Exceptions to restricted areas may be granted case-by-case by contacting access@cca.edu.

The staff member responsible for directing or supervising the restricted area has superior knowledge of the health and safety risks and will be consulted during the interactive process.

Pets, therapy, companionship, emotional support, or comfort animals that do not meet the definition of a service animal are not permitted in campus buildings.

With the exception that in student housing, an emotional support animal, may be permitted if it is approved as a reasonable accommodation for a resident with a disability. Please see the college’s Emotional Support Animal Policy for more information regarding the procedure for obtaining approval for an emotional support animal and email access@cca.edu.

Staff and Faculty may ask a service animal handler the following questions

Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?

What work or task has the dog been trained to perform

Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.


Registering a Service Animal

In order to ensure proper processes and support for those with a disability needing a service animal, the individual can register their service animal. Registering the animal may notify the general public of expectations of behavior around the service animal and facilitate access.

Members of the CCA Community may have a CCA ID printed for their service animal by registering their service animal with Access / Disability Services.

Schedule an appointment to begin the registration process.

To complete the registration process, you may be asked to provide the following:

  • Information regarding the task the service animal is trained to perform and how it relates to the handler's disability.
  • The vaccination history of the animal.
  • Proof of the animal's licensing with San Francisco, CA.
  • A recent photo of the service animal so that Public Safety can print an ID.

Once registration is complete, Public Safety will print an ID the animal may wear, or the handler may carry while on campus.


Responsibilities of Service Animal Handlers on CCA's Campus:

  • Ensure that the service animal receives and maintains up-to-date vaccinations and immunizations against disease and is otherwise in good health (service animals may be removed that are a health and safety threat)
  • Care for and supervise the service animal
  • Maintain control of the animal at all times (service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of tasks, in which case the handler must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal or other effective controls)
  • Ensure the cleanup of all animal waste
  • Ensure that the animal is on a leash, if appropriate for the animal, at all times. It is recommended but not mandated that the animal wear some type of easily recognized identification symbol (i.e., harness, backpack, ID badge provided by Public Safety) or that the handler carry an ID badge
  • Take financial responsibility for any property damage caused by the service animal
  • Notify the general public of expectations of behavior around the service animal as necessary to ensure health and safety.
  • Examples of these notifications are as follows:
    • Unless you are invited to do so, do not touch or feed a service animal
    • Do not come between or attempt to separate a service animal from its handler
    • Do not deliberately startle a service animal
    • Allow a service animal to accompany the student at all times and everywhere on campus except where service animals are prohibited.

Removal of Service Animals

The handler of a service animal may be asked by the college’s administration to remove the animal if the animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective control or the animal is not housebroken. An animal may be denied access if there is evidence that the animal will cause harm or endanger the health and safety of others.

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