Service Animals on Campus

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended (ADAAA), Bryn Mawr College will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities when necessary to ensure equal access to our programs, services, and activities. Although animals are not allowed in College facilities, an appropriately trained service animal, as defined below, will be permitted if necessary to ensure access for a person with a disability. 

According to the ADAAA, a service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.  Service animals are mature, stable dogs that have completed all phases of training and are unobtrusive in public spaces. The work or tasks must be directly related to the effects of the handler’s disability. Other animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not considered to be service animals. Dogs that are not trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate the effects of a disability, including animals used for emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship, are not considered to be service animals. 

The health and safety of Bryn Mawr’s students, faculty, and staff are of utmost importance. The handler is responsible for the overall care and management of the service animal, including appropriate waste clean-up. A service animal should have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless that is not feasible due to the nature of the disability or the dog’s work. It must be completely under the handler’s control at all times. If it becomes disruptive or aggressive, or is not housebroken, a service animal may be required to leave the College. Puppies who are being socialized in preparation for more formal service animal training are not considered service animals by the College and are therefore not appropriate for the College’s campus and/or housing environments.

Bryn Mawr students with disabilities who need to bring a service animal with them to the College should contact Access Services prior to their arrival, and may be asked to provide the following information:

• Verification of a disability and the need for a service animal
• A description of the specific work or tasks the dog has been individually trained to perform to mitigate the effects of the disability
• Documentation indicating that the dog has up-to-date vaccinations and appropriate licensure

Note that there are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and neither the Department of Justice nor the College recognizes them as proof that the dog is a service animal.

If it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal and you want to confirm that it is, you may ask only two questions:

1. Is the dog required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

If the dog is well-behaved and under the control of its handler, you may also just accept the dog’s presence without any questions.

• We ask our campus community to join us in respecting the rights of those who use service animals. 
• A service animal is a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
• A service dog is not required to wear a vest, special harness, or tag that identifies it as a service animal.
• Service dogs are working animals so it is important to avoid distracting them by petting or talking to them.
• The presence of a service dog should not be considered an invitation to ask questions about a person’s disability.