Ohio Administrative Code › Title 3341 - Bowling Green State University › Chapter 3341-2 - Policy Statements › Section 3341-2-42 - Service animal and assistance animal policy

Current through all
			 regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
(A) Policy statement and purpose
Bowling Green state university is committed to granting
				reasonable accommodations to its rules, policies, practices, or services when
				such accommodations may be necessary to afford people with disabilities an
				equal opportunity to use and enjoy their dwellings, as required by federal,
				state and local law. A reasonable accommodation may include a change or
				exception to a rule or policy that is needed because of a person's disability,
				or it may be a physical change to a unit or common area. It is Bowling Green
				state university's general policy to provide reasonable accommodations to
				individuals with disabilities whenever an individual has a disability and there
				is a disability-related need for the requested accommodation. A
				disability-related need for a requested accommodation exists when there is an
				identifiable relationship, or nexus, between the requested accommodation and
				the individual's disability. Bowling Green state university will permit the use
				of a service animal by an individual with a disability. Pursuant to federal law,
									 a person with a disability to keep an assistance animal in
				their university housing dwelling unit. The policy below discusses the
				procedures regarding these topics.
(B) Policy definitions
(1) Service dog/service animal
A dog, as described in
				28 CFR
				35.104, 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. The work or tasks performed by a service
				animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Under the
				particular circumstances and conditions set forth in
				28 CFR
				35.136, a miniature horse may also qualify as
				a service animal. 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. This policy
				generally refers to service animals as "service dogs."
(2) Assistance animal in university housing
An assistance animal (also known as an "emotional support
				animal") is an animal that provides comfort to an individual with a disability
				within that individual's dwelling unit in university housing. An assistance
				animal may be a reasonable accommodation if, upon the recommendation of a
				reliable third party (such as a doctor, physician assistant, psychiatrist,
				psychologist, or social worker) who is familiar with the individual's
				disability and the necessity for the requested accommodation, it will assist
				the individual with their disability and is necessary to afford that individual
				an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their residence at the university. An
				assistance animal does not assist a person with a disability with activities of
				daily living but rather its role is to live with the person and alleviate the
				symptoms or effects of that person's disability. The process for requesting an
				assistance animal is outlined in paragraph (C)(7) of this policy.
(3) Handler
A handler is the person who is responsible for controlling an
				assistance animal or service animal.
(4) Service dogs in training
			 Pursuant to Ohio law, a
									 service dog in training is a dog that is
			 in training to assist a blind person, a deaf or hearing-impaired person, or a
			 mobility-impaired person.
Handlers of service dogs in training are afforded the same
				rights as the handlers of fully-trained service dogs. This means that service
				dogs in training may attend class, accompany trainers to dining facilities, and
				take part in other campus activities. All service dogs in training are required
				to have insurance through their sponsoring non-profit special agency. Puppy
				raising, fostering and socialization activities are not considered training.
				Questions about service dogs in training can be directed to accessibility
				services.
(5) Pet
A pet is an animal, other than a fish, that is not a service
				dog or an assistance animal. Pets are not allowed in university residence
				halls.