Policy on Animals on Campus

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History

  • Policy Number: FA.30.003
  • Version: 2nd Revision
  • Drafted By: Chief Drake Massey
  • Approved By: Richard Yao
  • Approval Date: 03/24/2025
  • Effective Date: 03/24/2025
  • Supersedes: FA.30.002

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide equal access and reasonable accommodation for students, faculty, staff, campus residents, and visitors with disabilities and to protect the University community from hazards associated with or caused by animals, both domestic and wild. The University recognizes that owners of domestic and service animals bring their animals to the campus and that wild or feral animals often select the campus grounds as their habitat.

This policy is intended to optimize the safety and health of students, faculty, staff and visitors and animals as it relates to animals on University property

This policy excludes Emotional Support Animals. (Refer to the Disability Accommodations and Support Services (DASS) website regarding housing accommodations.)

Background

California Code of Regulation, Title V Article 9 section 42353.1, Bicycles, Skateboards, Roller Skates, and Animals. California Civil Code, section 54.1 through 54.2. Title 3, Section 36.302 of ADA. Ventura County Ordinance, Chapter 4. Animals.

Policy

Accountability

University Police are responsible for California penal code and vehicle code enforcement and enforcement of University regulations and coordination of the response to animals that are in danger of harm or pose a potential threat to the community. A response may be in conjunction with other campus departments and/or allied agencies.

Disability Accommodations & Support Services (DASS) is responsible for providing support services to students using a service animal on campus, as needed, and is responsible for the authorization of an Emotional Support Animal accommodation in residential living spaces.

Human Resources is responsible for providing support services to faculty and staff with impairments which necessitate the use of a service animal.

Environmental, Health & Safety is responsible for advising on the risk, potential hazard, potential for property damage, of feral animals on campus grounds.

All events, internal, co-sponsored, and external, require the approval of Risk Management prior to the animals being brought to campus.

Risk Management is responsible for evaluating and approving the liability of bringing animals on campus for all events.

Applicability

With the exception of the University Glen residential communities this policy is applicable to any person, in any building, or on any property, owned or controlled by the University. Animal control in the University Glen residential communities is covered by their respective lease agreements. This policy purposely excludes wild animals and those used for research and teaching purposes.

Definition(s)

Animal Nuisances – Any animal, except an animal kept or controlled by a governmental agency, which has committed any one or more of any of the following acts is deemed to be a public nuisance:

  • An unprovoked infliction of physical injury upon any person where such person is conducting himself or herself lawfully.
  • Unprovoked threatening behavior toward any person where such person is conducting themselves lawfully which occurs in such circumstances as to cause such person reasonably to fear for their physical safety.
  • The utterance of barks or cries which are loud, frequent and continued over a period of
  • An unprovoked infliction of physical injury upon any other
  • The damaging of University property or the personal property of some person other than the owner or keeper of the animal.
  • Any fecal matter deposited by domestic animals and not removed
  • Any unattended, unleashed, or otherwise uncontrolled domestic
  • The dumping of trash cans or the spreading of
  • The chasing of pedestrians, bicycles or

Domestic Animal – An animal that has been trained or adapted to living in a human environment. Such animals include, but are not limited to dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, fish, and other types of household pets.

Emotional Support Animal – An animal that is necessary to afford a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy student housing because the animal ameliorates one or more identified symptoms or effects of the student’s disability.

Feral Animal – A once-domestic animal that has reverted to an untamed state.

Service Animal – An animal that has been trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability (28 CFR 35.104; Health and Safety Code § 113903).

Service animal also includes a miniature horse if the horse is trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, provided the horse is housebroken, is under the handler’s control, the facility can accommodate the horse’s type, size and weight, and the horse’s presence will not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operation of the facility (28 CFR 35.136(i)).

Other animals, whether wild or domestic, do not qualify as service animals. Animals that are not trained to perform tasks that mitigate the effects of a disability, including animals that are used purely for emotional support, are not service animals.

Wild Animal – A non-domesticated animal living in its natural habitat.

Text

Wild or Feral Animals –

  • Wild or feral animals that are not a risk and do not represent a hazard, cause property damage, or create a public nuisance, and that do not require human intervention, will be allowed to inhabit the campus grounds.
  • Prohibited human intervention includes, but is not limited to, feeding, building of shelters, and injection of medication.
  • Wild or feral animals that are a potential risk, represent a hazard, cause property damage, create a nuisance, or otherwise pose a potential conflict for humans will be regulated, controlled, and humanely relocated in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and best practices.

Domestic Animals –

  • Domestic animals must be under control while on campus grounds, and restrained by a leash, chain or harness that does not exceed six (6) feet in length and that is in control of a responsible person.
  • Any domestic animal brought to campus must be licensed and fully inoculated in accordance with Ventura County regulations, with the burden of proof on the owner or person in control.
  • Fecal matter deposited by any dog, cat, or other domestic animal brought to campus must be removed immediately and disposed of properly by the owner. The burden is on the animal owner or person in control to arrange for removal of fecal matter if they are personally unable to perform the task.
  • Domestic animals may not enter campus buildings, including all residence halls. This section does not apply to fish contained within a fish tank that have been approved by the appropriate department head nor does it apply to a service animal, accompanying a person with a disability or an authorized service animal trainer, as defined by California Civil Code §54.1, and 54.2.
  • Domestic animals found tethered, unattended, or abandoned may be humanely impounded in accordance with all applicable law and regulations.
  • Domestic animals may be confined in vehicles parked on campus for a reasonable period of time, in accordance with the law, as long as the animal in not endangered and does not endanger others or create a nuisance.

Service Animals –

  • Federal law does not require a service animal to be formally trained or to be certified that it has been trained. Service animals are individually trained to effectively perform tasks for people with disabilities.
  • Service animals must be on a leash and/or under the control of a responsible person at all times, except that a service animal user does not have to use a leash if he or she is unable, if using a leash would harm them, or if the animal must perform a task without use of a
  • A service animal is not required to wear a collar, tag, vest, or other identifying equipment indicating that it is a trained service animal.
  • Service animals must be licensed and fully inoculated, with the burden of proof on the animal
  • Use of a service animal in University facilities may be prohibited if the use of the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other persons, or if the presence of the service animal will result in a fundamental alteration of the service, program, or activity involved.
  • ADA allows two questions to be asked about a service 1) Is the service animal required because of a disability? 2) What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
  • The owner must be in full control of the service animal at all times, as required elsewhere in this policy.
  • Reasonable behavior and proper hygiene are expected from the service animal while on campus.
  • If the service animal exhibits unacceptable behavior, the owner is expected to employ proper training techniques and correct the Service animals with hygiene or behavioral issues will be denied access to the University.

Special Events –

Approval must be obtained from Conferences & Events for animals to be brought on campus for a singular event involving the display or demonstration of specialized skills or natural behaviors, or any animal used for instructionally related activities outside of regularly scheduled classes.

Exhibit(s)

N/A

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