The University of Massachusetts Lowell is committed to assuring equal access for disabled students, staff and faculty, as well as guests and visitors to the campus. It is the university’s policy to permit service animals in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Title II (State and Local Government) and Title III (public accommodations and commercial facilities) on campus in order to achieve access to programs, activities and services including campus housing.
Services animals are defined under the ADA as dogs, or in some cases a miniature horse, that are trained to perform one or more specific tasks for a person with a disability.
Service animals are permitted in all public areas of campus with limited exceptions. The presence of service animals on campus are protected by law.
Only two questions can be asked:
- Is the animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
Service animals may be restricted in certain areas where their use may compromise the integrity of research, or fundamentally alter the nature of a program or activity.
Restricted areas may include, but not be limited to:
- research labs,
- classrooms with demonstration/research animal’s present,
- medical areas and research measuring radioactive materials or lasers,
- mechanical rooms,
- workshops with operating machinery and
- food preparation areas.
If a location is determined unsafe for the use of a service animal, alternative reasonable accommodations will be explored. Exceptions to restricted areas may be explored with the department exploring reasonable safety precautions such as booties/and or lab coats for Service Animals in restricted areas.
Procedures
- Students with Disabilities are encouraged to register with Student Disability Services.
- Employees with Disabilities are encouraged to register with Equal Opportunity and Outreach.
- Students and Employees accessing University Housing are responsible for completing the Animals in Residence Form on the Residence Life website.
Care of Service Animals
Individuals with disabilities who use emotional support/assistance animals are responsible for:
- attending to the wellbeing and cleanliness of their animal,
- maintaining control of their animal at all times and not disrupt others (otherwise animal may be removed),
- have a plan in place for animal care in case of emergency and
- arrange alternative shelter if the animal must be removed from campus due to disruptive, unsafe, or environmental conditions, or if the handler becomes unable to care for the service animal.
Relief areas may be designated on an individual basis in collaboration with the Office of Residence Life and university grounds personnel.
Removal
A person with a disability can be asked to remove his or her service animal when the animal is out of control and the handler does not take action to control the animal. When there is a legitimate reason that a service animal must be removed, staff must offer assistance or provide services to the person with a disability.