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Part 1. Purpose Statement:

SCC is committed to providing equal access to students with disabilities and fulfilling its responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). Service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are generally permitted in all facilities and programs on the É«ÖÐÉ« campus except as described below. The College may (only) ask if the animal is required because of a disability as well as what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. These guidelines are derived from the American with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-325) and its Revised Final Title II Rule which became effective March 15, 2011.

Part 2. Scope/Applicability:

This guideline pertains to all staff, faculty, students and visitors.

Part 3. Definitions:

Service animal: By law, a service animal means any dog 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 handler’s disability. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. In certain situations, a service animal may include a housebroken miniature horse.

Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks;
• Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds;
• Providing non-violent protection or rescue work;
• Pulling a wheelchair;
• Assisting an individual during a seizure;
• Retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone;
• Providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities;
• Helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.

Handler: A person with a disability that a service animal assists or a personal care attendant who handles the animal for a person with a disability. 

Part 4. Guidelines:

Subpart A. Service Animal Use and Requirements on Campus:

Service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are allowed in all public facilities at É«ÖÐÉ«, with the exception of areas where service animals are specifically prohibited due to safety or health restrictions, where the service animal may be in danger, or where the service animal’s use may compromise the integrity of research. If SCC properly excludes a service animal, it will give the individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the service animal on the premises. 

Subpart B. Licensure and Vaccination:

Service animals on campus must comply with all state & local licensure and vaccination requirements. Dogs must wear a license tag and a current rabies vaccination tag.

Subpart C. Leash:

Service animals must be on a leash at all times, unless impracticable or unfeasible due to owner/keeper’s disability.

Subpart D. Under control:

The owner/keeper of a service animal must be in full control of the animal at all times. The animal must not be disruptive (for example by barking) and cannot pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others on campus. An individual with a disability may be asked to remove a service animal from the College if the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it. A person who has a service animal on campus is financially responsible for property damage caused by his or her service animal.

Subpart E. Clean-up:

The care and supervision of a service animal is the responsibility of the handler. This includes cleanup of all animal waste. College Grounds/Maintenance may designate animal toileting areas. Those who are unable to physically pick up and dispose of feces are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for assistance on a daily basis.

Subpart F. Inquiries regarding service animals:

SCC staff will not ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability but can ask the following two questions to determine if the animal qualifies as a service animal:

1. is the animal required because of a disability.
2. what service the animal is trained to provide.

SCC staff who have a legitimate need to question whether a service animal is trained should contact the ADA Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) who will talk with the animal’s handler. SCC shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, SCC may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability). 

Subpart G. Partnering with SCC:

Students who need to bring a service animal to campus are encouraged to partner with Disability Services. Disability Services staff can assist with other needed accommodations and communicate to faculty and other campus entities about your rights as a person with a disability.

Date of Last Review: 11/5/2024