Service Animal Policy

  • Date Revised: 6/21/23
  • Last Modified: Jun 21, 2023
  • Sponsor(s):
  • Responsible Office(s):

Animal Owners on Campus

Pet Animal Policy

For reasons of safety, health and sanitation, no dogs or any other pet animals are permitted in University buildings as of the effective date of this policy. This policy does not prohibit the presence of:

  • Service Animals as permitted in the Service Animal Policy that follows.
  • Animals used in instructional, research or clinical activities.
  • Animals controlled by fire or law enforcement officers in the course of their duties.
  • Animals essential to a specific University program or activity, e.g., performing animals employed in an entertainment production.

University properties rented or maintained as places of abode are subject to this policy unless the manager of those properties has provided and approved contractual agreement affirming otherwise.

The animal must be under the control of the person with direct responsibility for the animal’s activities, it must be housebroken and must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The animal must meet all state and local, health, vaccination and licensing requirements. At a minimum, animals must be immunized against diseases common to that type of animal. All vaccinations must be current. Dogs must wear a rabies vaccination tag.

The person with direct responsibility is responsible for any damage the service animal causes and is responsible for cleaning up all animal waste.

This policy supersedes all previous animal pet policies.

Service Animal Policy

It is the policy of the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) that service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are permitted in all UMKC facilities and programs that the individual with a disability is entitled to access with some exceptions. It is recommended that students have their service animal registered with the UMKC Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Faculty and staff members who require the use of a service animal as a reasonable accommodation must contact the ADA Coordinator in the Office of Affirmative Action to make an individualized request for an accommodation. The ADA Coordinator will determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether to approve the faculty or staff member’s request.

Determination

The determination of whether or not an animal is a service animal is made by asking only the following two questions when the answers are not readily apparent: 1) Is this service animal required because of a disability? 2) What work or tasks has this animal been trained to perform?

Definitions

Service animal: A service animal is an animal as designated by federal or state law, which is specifically trained to perform a service to a person with a disability.

Exceptions

Individuals with a service animal are welcome to bring the animal anywhere on campus they are entitled to access except: 1) where the service animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level by a reasonable accommodation, or, 2) where a service animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation.

Responsibility

The animal must be under the control of the person with a disability, it must be housebroken and must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The animal must meet all state and local, health, vaccination and licensing requirements. At a minimum, animals must be immunized against diseases common to that type of animal. All vaccinations must be current. Dogs must wear a rabies vaccination tag.

The person with the disability is responsible for any damage the service animal causes and is responsible for cleaning up all animal waste.

Questions related to the use of service animals on the campus should be directed to Scott Laurent, Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at (816) 235-5696.

This policy supersedes all previous service animal policies.