Service Animals: What The College Should Know!

Service animals are animals trained to provide a specific service or services to an individual with a disability. Some examples of services they are trained to do could range from opening doors, helping a student with mobility challenges into and out of a desk, navigating the campus or alerting someone if an individual is going to have a medical episode. Service animals are generally dogs, with a limited exception for miniature horses. At NOVA, we typically encounter service dogs.

The animal, when accompanied by a handler who can also be their owner, can enter any public area on College property. The handler does not need special permission to bring the dog on campus or to class. Service animals are also not required to wear any particular vests or patches identifying them as a service animal, though many do.

There are only two questions that NOVA employees can legally ask a handler of a service animal:

• Is this a service animal required because of a disability?
• What work or task has the service animal been trained to perform?

Dos:

• Speak to the handler, not the animal
• Keep your distance from the animal so that they can focus on their work
• Treat the handler with dignity and respect

Don’ts:

• Don’t ask the handler to make the animal perform a task
• Don’t request medical, certification, registration or documentation for the animal
• Don’t interfere with the animal’s tasks
• Don’t pet or play with the animal; he or she is working!
• Don’t offer food to the animal

A final thought: An unattended service animal approaching you could be trying to signal for help! If a service dog is unattended and is trying to get your attention, follow the dog! Their handler may need emergency assistance.

It is important to know there is a different standard that the college must adhere to when it pertains to emotional support animals. A separate article on emotional support animals will be coming soon in the Daily Flyer. If you have any questions about the presence of a service animal or emotional support animal on any of NOVA’s campuses, you are asked to contact the Accommodations Counselor on that campus. For additional information please view the following links:

• NOVA’s Service Animals Policy
• Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
• NOVA’s Animal Control Policy

Submitted by:
Krystal Edmead, Director of Accommodations & Accessibility Svcs, KEdmead@nvcc.edu