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University of Nebraska Kearney > Disability Services > Procedures/Responsibilities

ADA Policy for Service Animals

The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, which states, “No otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States…shall, solely on the basis of a disability, be denied access to, or the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity provided by any institution receiving federal assistance.” UNK intends to provide the broadest possible access to service animals in all of its public areas.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as “any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.”

A service animal is not a pet, but can perform some of the functions and tasks that an individual with a disability cannot perform himself or herself. Animals are considered “service animals” under ADA, if they meet this definition, regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government. Therapy animals are not considered service animals. Below are basic policy guidelines for UNK:

1. A service animal is permitted to accompany the individual with a disability to most areas on campus where students are normally allowed to go. Some areas on campus are not safe for service animals; therefore, these areas may exclude service animals. Research laboratories and/or areas that require protective clothing may exclude service animals. A laboratory director, or an instructor in a classroom or teaching area with moving equipment or machinery, may grant or deny admission to an area on a case–by–case basis. This denial or granting of admission to an area will be made based on the nature of the machinery and/or on the nature of the research.
   
2. An individual with a service animal may not be segregated from other students.
   
3. A service animal may be excluded from a facility, including a classroom, if that animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
   
4. A service animal may be excluded from a facility, including a classroom, if that animal’s behavior, such as barking, is disruptive to the other participants within the facility.
   
5. If a service animal is excluded from a facility, the individual with a disability will be given the option of continued classroom participation, with assistance, within the facility.
   
6. The service animal must be clean, in good health, with current rabies vaccination.
   
7. All service animals must be on a leash at all times.
   
8. All students and university employees must abide by current city ordinances/laws pertaining to licensing and vaccination requirements for service animals. It is the responsibility of the owner and/or user of the animal to know about these ordinances and/or laws.
   
9. All owners and or users of service animals are responsible to clean up after and properly dispose of their animal’s feces while on campus.

Students wishing to utilize a service animal on campus should contact the Academic Services Office at 865-8798.  Faculty, staff and visitors wishing to utilize a service animal on the UNK campus should contact the Affirmative Action Office at 865-8655 for approval.  The University of Nebraska at Kearney considers service animals to be an accommodation issue and therefore requires any individual who intends to have a service animal on campus on a regular basis have a valid accommodation plan.

If you feel you were denied this accommodation, a grievance can be filed through the regular University grievance procedures on file with the UNK Compliance Officer (Founders Hall 1203) or the Academic Services Office (Memorial Student Affairs Building, Room 175). If you have further questions, please contact the Coordinator of Student Disability Services, at 308–865–8798 or the ADA Coordinator at 308-865-8655.