Policy 5460C

Procedure 5460C

Service Animals

Individuals with disabilities may be accompanied by their service animals at all College locations.  By law, a service animal means a dog or a miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.  Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals.  The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of such tasks include, but are not limited to: assisting an individual with low vision with navigation; alerting individuals who are hard of hearing to the presence of people or objects; pulling a person’s wheelchair; or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with a mobility disability. 

Individuals with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all College facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, are allowed.  If living in housing, the Fair Housing Act allows the use of animals that work, provide assistance or perform tasks that benefit persons with a disability as a reasonable accommodation.   

Students requiring a service animal as a housing accommodation should submit an application and required documentation for reasonable accommodations to:  

Wellbeing and Accessibility  
2500 College Drive, Suite 1227
Rock Springs, WY  82901
307.382.1806 

Students or visitors requiring a service animal on the main campus are welcome to notify Wellbeing and Accessibility, located in room 1227 of the Rock Springs Campus to voluntarily register their animal.  Students and visitors who do not have an obvious disability may be asked to answer the following questions regarding their animal: 

• Is the animal a service animal that is required because of a disability? 
• What work or task has the animal been trained to perform? 

If the animal does not meet criteria as a service animal, the student or visitor will be required to remove the animal from campus. Species other than dogs and horses, such as wild animals, untrained animals, comfort animals, or emotional assistance animals are not service animals. 

Students fraudulently representing an animal as a service animal or assistance animal will be referred to the Dean of Students.   

Exceptions

The College may exclude a service animal from a College facility and/or from campus if its behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or when its presence fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity. Furthermore, the College may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from a College facility and/or from campus if the animal is out of control and the individual does not take immediate and effective action to control it; or if the animal is not housebroken. 

Responsibilities of Individuals with Service Animals

The College is not responsible for the care or supervision of a service animal.  Individuals with disabilities are responsible for the control of their service animals at all times and must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including vaccination, licensure, animal health and leash laws. A service animal shall be restrained with a harness, leash, or other tether, unless an individual’s disability precludes the use of a restraint or if the restraint would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks.  If a service animal is not tethered, it must be otherwise under the individual’s control, whether by voice control, signals, or other effective means. 

Individuals are responsible for ensuring the immediate clean-up and proper disposal of all animal waste. Although the College may not charge an individual with a disability a service animal surcharge, it may impose charges for damages caused by a service animal in the same manner the College imposes charges for damages caused by individuals. 

Service Animals (Employees)

Employees of the College requiring a service animal must apply for a reasonable accommodation with Human Resources, located in room 3035.  Employees may be asked to provide documentation of their disability and a note from a medical provider explaining the need for the accommodation.  Determinations for accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis, in alignment with all federal and state laws and regulations. 

Assistance Animals in College Housing 

Assistance animals are defined as animals that work, provide assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability or that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified effects of a person’s disability.  An assistance animal is not a pet.  An assistance animal’s presence is limited to housing and residential settings. 

Students requiring an assistance animal as a housing accommodation should submit an application for reasonable accommodations and required documentation to:  

Wellbeing and Accessibility  
2500 College Drive, Suite 1227
Rock Springs, WY  82901
307.382.1806 

Required Documentation: 

• A statement from a medical practitioner that indicates the following: 
• The diagnosis and corresponding DSM-V. 
• Describe how the diagnosis manifests as a disability (i.e. limit activities of daily living) 
• Explain why an assistance animal is necessary for the individual to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy campus housing. 
• Detail how an animal will work, perform tasks, provide assistance or provide therapeutic emotional support with respect to the disability condition identified.  

Approval of assistance animals in residence halls will be determined on a case-by-case basis according to applicable laws and regulations.  If use of an assistance animal is approved, the Wellbeing and Accessibility Center will notify Mustang Central and the student of the approval.  Students who are approved for an assistance animal must sign and comply with the College’s Residence Hall Service/Assistance Animal Comprehension Document. 

Exceptions/Restricted Animals

The College may exclude an assistance animal from housing if the animal is not housebroken; would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others; would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; would fundamentally alter the nature of a program or activity; is not being cared for by the individual, or is endangered, venomous, wild or otherwise dangerous.   

Responsibilities of Individuals with Assistance Animals

The College is not responsible for the care or supervision of an assistance animal.  Individuals with disabilities are responsible for the control of their assistance animal at all times and for ensuring the immediate clean-up and proper disposal of all animal waste.  Individuals must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including vaccination, licensure, animal health and leash laws, as well as the College’s rules in lease provisions regarding vaccination, licensure, leash control, cleanup rules, animal health, and community relationships. 

Rules for Assistance and Service Animals 

Animal Safety and Health 

• The animal’s owner is responsible for the health and safety of the animal including cleaning up after the animal, daily food and attention, behavior of the animal, and overall welfare. 
• Animals may not be left unattended overnight and may not be left in other residence halls or rooms. 
• Animal waste or urine must be taken care of immediately using appropriate cleaning products. 
• Animals must be under the control of their owner at all times.  This means that the animal cannot disrupt others or cause a nuisance to staff, residents, or property. 
• All liability for the actions of the animal is the responsibility of the owner. 
• The animal’s owner is responsible to make sure that their residence is as clean as the original standard upon leaving campus. 

Owners are responsible for following and understanding all state, county and city rules, laws and regulations regarding animal ownership including: 

• City licensure requirements for animal ownership, including immunizations. 
• Laws prohibiting misrepresentation of a service or assistance animal. 

Animals will be asked to be removed from campus under the following circumstances: 

• The animal is found to be disruptive or out of control. 
• The animal shows aggression towards any person. 
• The animal is physically ill. 
• The animal is unreasonably dirty. 
• Any place on campus where the presence of an animal causes danger to the safety of others. 
• Any place on campus where a service or assistance animal's safety is compromised. 
• The animal may cause substantial damage to the property of others. 
• The presence of the animal would fundamentally alter the nature of a program or activity. 

Concerns 

Students or Employees with concerns about a service or assistance animal and the corresponding policy and procedure should first contact the Accessibility Specialist to have a discussion and make a plan to resolve the situation. This informal discussion is normally the quickest and most effective way to resolve situations that arise.  The Accessibility Specialist may:  

• Mediate a solution between student and employee(s) (or the college) . 
• Counsel the student in self-advocacy skills (if the student would like to attempt to resolve the situation on their own). 
• Refer the situation to the Director of Wellbeing and Accessibility. 
• Discuss alternative solutions with the student. 
• Refer the student to outside agencies that can help the student. 

In the event that the student is not able to resolve the situation through discussion, the student may submit an internal grievance or appeal.  Please see Policy: 2150A. 

Western Wyoming Community College (the College) is an equal opportunity institution and as such, prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political belief, or any other applicable protected category or activity.  The College ensures non-discriminatory practices in all matters relating to its educational admissions, programs, services, and activities as well as in all terms and conditions of employment.   

Inquiries concerning ADA or 504 may be referred to: 

504 Coordinator 
Western Wyoming Community College Institutional Effectiveness 
2500 College Drive, Room 3050B 
Rock Springs, WY  82901 
(307) 382-1748

Or 

Associate Vice President for Human Resources 
Western Wyoming Community College Human Resources 
2500 College Drive, Room 3034 
Rock Springs, WY 82901 
307-382-1832 

 

 

Approved January 14, 2016
Revised March 18, 2019
Revised January 2024