Service Animals

*For more information on ADA service animal laws, please visit https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html

Effective March 15, 2011, only dogs (and in some cases miniature horses) are recognized as service animals under Titles II and III of the ADA. A service animal is a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability: the work or task must be directly related to the person's disability. Dogs not trained to perform tasks that mitigate the effects of a disability, including dogs used purely for comfort or emotional support, are NOT service animals. The final rule also clarifies individuals with mental disabilities who use service animals trained to perform a specific task are protected by the ADA.

Per ADA law, only the following questions are permitted to be asked in regards to service animals:

1) Is the animal necessary for the person’s disability? You cannot ask the person what his/her disability is or ask for documentation of the disability.

2) What work and/or task is the service animal trained to perform? You cannot request that the service animal perform the task and you cannot ask for documentation for the service animal.

In compliance with ADA, the service animal must be permitted to accompany the individual with a disability in all areas of the campus where students/the public are normally allowed to go. Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals per ADA law. In addition, ADA law does not require service animals to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness.   

Students with disabilities that require the use of a service animal may voluntarily complete and submit the Service Animal e-form found at Service Animal Registration  (please contact DSS with any questions about this e-form).

Responsibilities of Service Animal Owner:

• Ensure service animal has all required vaccinations as mandated by local laws and/or visible rabies vaccination tag should be worn by the service animal (DSS may require the student provide proof of vaccinations for the service animal).

• Ensure the service animal is has its required license from the city/state in which it is registered 

• Assumption of personal responsibility for damage to any college property and/or harm to others caused by the service animal while on campus or attending college-sponsored events. CTC, its employees, agents and officers will not be held liable for any claims or costs.

• Care, control and supervision of the service animal is the sole responsibility of the owner. CTC will not provide care, food or special location for the service animal.

• The service animal must be clean and curbed at all times while on campus.

• Service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal's work or the individual's disability prevents using these devices. In this case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal or other effective controls.

• Dog must be housebroken and owner is responsible for immediate clean up of litter on campus and disposed of in a plastic bag in an outside garbage dumpster.

• Owner must remove service animal from the premises/classroom if unacceptable behavior is exhibited that cannot be effectively controlled, e.g., continuous barking, growling, jumping on people or posing a threat or nuisance.

• Clear understanding that violation of policy may result in disciplinary action.

Service Animals in Training:

An individual with a service animal in training may bring the service animal to campus only under the following conditions:

• the service animal is accompanied by an approved trainer who is an agent of an organization recognized as reputable and competent to provide such training

• the individual submits proof to DSS that he or she is an approved trainer as required in Texas Human Resources Code Sec. 121.003

• the animal is adequately under control of the trainer

*If student is requesting the service animal be allowed to live in campus housing, student will be required to complete the service animal agreement form and housing accommodation request form in etrieve. Student will also be required to submit proof of rabies vaccination before approval of service animal in housing and student will be required to sign a liability waiver form with DSS. 

*If students require classroom accommodations in addition to service animal accommodations, they are required to follow the process for requesting classroom accommodations (please view the Requesting Accommodations link for further information or contact a DSS Coordinator for assistance).

Emotional Support Animal (ESA)

Per federal disability laws, Emotional Support Animals (ESA) are NOT Service Animals and do not accompany an individual at all times. Therefore, if an accommodation is granted for an ESA, the ESA is ONLY permitted in the student’s assigned residential room on campus and immediate outdoor space of the residence hall to allow the animal to dispose of waste products. These animals are NOT permitted in other campus buildings (only campus housing). When the animal is transported outside the private residence area it must be in an animal carrier, on a leash or harness, and controlled at all times. Proof of required vaccinations must be provided to DSS (animal must be old enough for rabies vaccination - at least 4 months old before ESA can be considered for on campus housing) And student must provide picture of the animal to DSS. Students required to sign liability waiver form provided by DSS if approved for housing accommodations.

To request housing accommodations for an ESA, the student is required to do the following:

Register the ESA for housing with DSS by completing the Student Intake e-Form, the ESA Registration e-Form, and Housing Accommodation e-Form located at https://ctceforms.ctcd.edu

Students are also REQUIRED to submit the Verification Form for Housing Accommodations to DSS. This form will be reviewed by DSS to determine eligibility of housing accommodations for an ESA.

The ESA is NOT to be brought to campus housing until approval has been granted by DSS. The Request for the ESA in housing will be reviewed by DSS and the student will be notified of the results. All requests and documentation should be submitted at least 60 days prior to the anticipated move in date into campus housing. Please note that submitting all the required forms for the ESA does not guarantee that this accommodation will be approved for campus housing.  

*Housing request for the ESA must be updated yearly.

Owner/Handler’s Responsibilities and Guidelines for Having an Emotional Support Animal in Campus Housing:

• The owner/handler, not the College or another student, is responsible for the care and conduct of their animal.

• The owner/ handler must abide by all state and local laws regarding animals.

• Animals must be kept clean, healthy and under control of the owner/handler at all times.

• Animals and their accoutrements (e.g. heat lamp) must not pose a direct threat to the safety of others.

• The owner/ handler is responsible for prompt clean up and disposal of the animal’s waste.

• Animals must sleep in the owner/handler’s room.

• Animals must not make excessive noise or display behavior that will disrupt other community members.

• The College is not responsible for an animal during a fire alarm, fire drill, or natural disaster.

• An animal cannot be left alone for more than 6 hours.

• The owner/handler is subject to charge for damage caused by the animal in the same manner as community members are charged for damage that is caused by an individual.

• The owner/handler is responsible for any financial charges for bodily injury caused by the animal to any individual, including the owner/handler.

• The owner/handler must notify Student Accessibility Services in writing if the animal is no longer needed in residence. An approval for an ESA is good only for the academic semester/term in which it has been approved. A formal request for an ESA must be submitted for each academic semester/term.

• Emotional Support Animals are only permitted in the privately assigned residential room and outdoor areas as approved by DSS and Student Housing. When transported outside the privately assigned residential room the animal must be in an animal carrier or controlled by a leash or harness at all times.

• When maintenance staff needs to enter a student’s room to complete work the owner/handler must be present at the time staff member enters the room. Work cannot be completed without the owner/handler being present.

Removal of Approved ESA from Campus Housing:

The College has the right to remove an animal if:

• It poses a direct threat to the health or safety of the owner/handler or others.

• The owner/handler does not comply with the owner/handler’s responsibilities outlined in the guidelines for having an ESA on campus.

• The animal causes uncontrollable disturbances.