General Guidelines
Students with Service Animals do not need to register or notify the college that their Service Animal will accompany them on campus.
Administrative Procedure (AP) 3440 outlines the process for Service Animals and/or Support Animals on Campus. A couple other quick distinctions:
- A student with a Service Animal does not need to register with SAS or apply for services
through SAS.
- Service Animals are trained to mitigate the impact of a disability through their actions.
- A student with a Service Animal can be provided info about SAS as a FYI, so that the student can be made aware of other accommodations that may be available to them, but not as a requirement for general use of the Service Animal on campus.
- A student requesting to use a Support Animal (or Comfort Animal) does need to apply
for services through SAS, as use of a Support Animal would be considered an academic accommodation that SAS
would need to evaluate prior to authorizing as an accommodation.
- Support or Comfort Animals mitigate the impact of disability by their presence.
- A student should be provided information about SAS if they’re seeking to use the Support Animal on campus so that the student can be made aware of other accommodations that may be available to them.
- SAS should be consulted if there is a legitimate safety concern involving the use of a Service Animal or Support Animal in a specific classroom environment, or if it would fundamentally alter the nature of the class, program or service. Examples of what constitutes a legitimate safety concern and/or a fundamental alteration can be found on the Department of Justice's Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
Resources
- Administrative Procedure (AP) 3440: Service Animals on Campus
- Department of Justice ADA Requirements: Service Animals
- Department of Justice's Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
Please contact SAS with any questions: sas@miracosta.edu or call 760.795.6658.
