On July 1, the Office of Equal Opportunity, Accessibility and Title IX published a new assistance animal policy outlining “requirements and guidelines.” The new policy “is much more comprehensive” than the previous assistance animal policy implemented in 2016, according to Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator Linda Sullivan.
The new policy “was done to bring Dartmouth in line with federal law and how cases have been adjudicated previously,” Sullivan said. “It was also done so that people who use assistance animals have a better idea of what their rights are.”
The new policy distinguishes between five categories of assistance animals for the first time. It defines service animals, service animals in-training, emotional support animals, therapy animals and physical assistance animals as support welcome on campus.
Aside from regulations and guidelines for animal owners, the new animal assistance policy also includes several “community expectations” for all members of campus. These include rules to “treat all assistance animals with respect,” “not taunt or disturb assistance animals” and “not make assumptions about the person who uses an assistance animal.”
The new policy stipulates that while service animals and service animals in-training are typically “allowed to be anywhere at Dartmouth where the student is permitted to be,” they may not be permitted into certain areas, such as laboratories and mechanical rooms, for “health and safety reasons.”
Sullivan noted that service animals in-training were included because “the State of New Hampshire recognizes them [as having] the same rights and responsibilities as service animals.”
The policy describes emotional support animals as those “whose presence alone may provide comfort.” In contrast with service animals, emotional support animals may be “limited to residential living spaces and not permitted in other areas,” the policy notes.
Sullivan clarified that physical assistance animals are used “more rarely” than the other categories of animals outlined in the policy. She said that they tend to be used by people “who have limited use of their hands” and may benefit from “monkeys who do dexterity assistance” for students, for instance.
Sullivan said that “you have to be a person with a disability” for the new policy to apply. She added that while students using service animals do not have to go through the disability accommodation process, students who request to bring emotional support animals or physical assistance animals have to “go through the interactive accommodation process” with the Student Accessibility Services office or another appropriate office. She said the policy includes further information on requesting assistance animals.
Sullivan said that all assistance animals on campus must be in “good health” and “under [the] control of their handlers at all times” and added that the animals “are trained specifically not to be disruptive.”
Therapy dogs are perhaps the most common form of animal assistance on campus: The Student Wellness Center hosts open sessions with certified canines more than once a week to support students.
Sullivan said that therapy dogs have “a very distinct role,” and that they tend to be used by “specially licensed clinicians” rather than students or faculty. However, she said that the policy nevertheless identifies therapy dogs and that they must “meet the criteria” outlined.
Maria Skidmore, who has been volunteering for the Student Wellness Center’s therapy dog program with her Golden Retriever Ellie, said that she had been training her dog for two years before the start of the program. The process involved making sure that the dog is “comfortable with being pet” and “approved for working with children,” according to Skidmore.
She added that “everybody’s been really friendly” and Ellie “loves it.”
“It’s been a range of people,” Skidmore said. From those “who are just getting comfortable with dogs [to] dog lovers who just miss their family pets.”
Andrew Pham ‘27, who recently spent time with a therapy dog on campus, said that the assistance animals were important to “promote healthy interactions” and “provide some time away from screens.”
“The dog was really nice, and the volunteer person was really nice,” Pham said.
Correction Appended (July 11, 4:55 p.m.): A previous version of this article erroneously said that students using service animals are required to go through the disability accommodation process.
