General Policies (GEN)

Animals on Campus Policy

Policy Purpose

This policy informs the CSN community regarding the permissibility of animals on campus. Specifically addressed are: Service Animals, Comfort/Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Animals, Law Enforcement/First Responder Animals, Pets & Domesticated Animals, Animals used for Teaching and/or Research, and Feral/Wild Animals.

Policy Statement

  1. Animals are not permitted in any campus building, recreational facility or identified athletic facility, except as follows:
    1. Service Animals are allowed wherever members of the public and/or members of the CSN community are allowed to go.
      1. Service Animals are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) as dogs or miniature horses that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
        1. When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions:
          1. Is the Service Animal required because of a disability?
          2. What work or task has the Service Animal been trained to perform?
        2. If the answer to a. is negative or if the answer to b. is that the animal has no training to perform service-related work or tasks, then the animal’s handler shall be asked to remove the animal from indoor campus spaces.
        3. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the Service Animal, or ask that the Service Animal demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
        4. Staff are not required to provide care or food for a Service Animal.
        5. Allergies and fear of Service Animals are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using Service Animals.
      2. Under the ADAAA, Service Animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, [not to exceed 6 ft.] unless these devices interfere with the Service Animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices
      3. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his/her Service Animal from a specific location unless:
        1. the Service Animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it.
        2. the Service Animal is not housebroken.
        3. there exists a significant likelihood of risk/danger to the animal (i.e. highly dangerous work area, exposure to toxins, high potential for injury, etc.).
        4. the specific location must be kept free of contaminants (i.e. a kitchen or sterile environment).
      4. If an instructor or a student has an allergy to a Service Animal, causing the instructor to be unable to teach or a student to be unable to participate in a course section, the following apply:
        1. The instructor or student shall notify the responsible department chair or equivalent as soon as possible.
        2. The department chair or equivalent shall make the least disruptive possible arrangements.
    2. Law Enforcement/First Responder Animals are permitted on campus when they are part of an Officer/First Responder’s official functions. It is expected that such animals will be handled and cared for in a manner that is consistent with relevant safety standards and State laws.
    3. Animals Used for teaching and/or research are allowed on campus, consistent with the Vertebrate Animals Policy.
    4. Animals under the care of the Veterinary Technology Program are permitted ONLY in buildings and facilities housing Veterinary Technology services and ONLY when such visits are directly related to services provided by the Veterinary Technology Program.
    5. Comfort/Emotional Support and/or Therapy Animals, provided by organizations with documented training programs, may be allowed on campus for department or program-sponsored events with prior approval of the Vice President of Student Affairs or designee.
  2. Aside from exceptions under II.A. subsections a, b, c, d & e above, CSN does not permit the presence of Comfort/Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Animals, Pets & Domesticated Animals, or Feral/Wild Animals in any campus building, recreational facility or identified athletic facility.
  3. Animals are permitted in outdoor campus spaces that are not identified as athletic facilities or being used for academic purposes; however, the College discourages bringing animals to campus due to the campuses having no designated areas or facilities for animals.
  4. Under all permissible situations where an animal is on campus, the following apply:
    1. At all times, the animal must be under the control of the handler, using a restraint or leash [not to exceed 6 ft.] that is securely in place on the animal and that is appropriate to the animal’s size and/or strength.
    2. An animal may not be left unattended on campus.
    3. The handler is solely responsible for the animal’s water, food and the proper removal of all animal waste.
    4. The handler will be held accountable for the behavior of the animal under the Student Conduct Code, Chapter 10 of the NSHE Handbook and all applicable local, state and federal laws.
  5. The handler will be held accountable for the safety and well-being of the animal. Unattended, stray, injured, sick or mistreated animals may be reported to the applicable animal control agency.
  6. Animals and their handlers may be removed if:
    1. the animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it
    2. the animal is not housebroken.
    3. there exists a significant likelihood of risk/danger to the animal (i.e. highly dangerous work area, exposure to toxins, high potential for injury, etc.)
  7. This policy recognizes the existence of wild/feral animal populations living on properties under the jurisdiction of CSN. In all such cases, applicable ordinances of the relevant municipalities will apply. When possible, wild animals that include CSN property among their natural habitat should be left undisturbed. The CSN community will work with Clark County, and the Cities of North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson Animal Control Services in cases of feral pets or threatening animals.

Authority and Cross Reference Links

Most Recent Changes

New policy:

  1. Describes appropriate questions regarding a Service Animal.
  2. Allows for Comfort/Emotional Support and/or Therapy Animals for approved events.
  3. Describes what to do if instructors or students have severe allergies to Service Animals.

Disclaimer

The president has the discretion to suspend or rescind all or any part of this policy or related procedure(s). The president shall notify the appropriate CSN personnel, including the Executive Sponsor and shared governance leaders, of the suspension or rescission.

Questions about this policy should be referred to the Executive Sponsor.