Wheaton College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations and to making reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures as required by law to afford people with disabilities an equal opportunity to access programs, services and activities. The Learning and Accessibility Services (LAS) Office is responsible for the approval of Service and Assistance Animals.
I. Definitions
Service Animal
Service Animals are animals that are trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities. Examples of such tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs for those with limited mobility, and alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure. Animals other than dogs or, in some cases, miniature horses, are not Service Animals. The work or task that a Service Animal has been trained to provide is directly related to the person’s disability.
Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
Emotional Support Animals are animals that provide emotional or other support that decreases one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s mental health disability. Unlike Service Animals, an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is not required to be trained to perform work or tasks, nor does it accompany a person with a disability at all times.
Pet
A pet is an animal kept for ordinary use or companionship. Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals, as defined above, are not considered pets. Pets are prohibited indoors and in university housing with the exception of aquatic species that live under water in standard size aquariums. For more information, please refer to the Animals/Pets in Campus Housing policy in the Student Handbook.
Approved Animal
An Approved Animal is a Service Animal or an Emotional Support Animal that has been approved by LAS as a reasonable accommodation under this Policy.
Owner
An Owner is an individual with a disability who has requested an accommodation and has received approval to bring the approved animal on college property.
II. Access to Campus for Service Animals
Service Animals are permitted in all public areas of campus, but may be prohibited in certain locations due to health and safety restrictions (e.g., where the animal may be in danger, or where its use may compromise research).
An individual is allowed to have a service animal on campus if:
- S/He has a disability as defined by the ADA
- The accompanying animal is trained to do work or specific tasks for the individual.
Owners are not required to provide certification that the animal has been trained/licensed or make a formal request for an accommodation.
Restricted areas may include, but are not limited to custodial closets, boiler rooms, facility equipment rooms, research laboratories, classrooms with research/demonstration animals, areas where protective clothing is necessary, wood and metal shops, rooms with heavy machinery, and areas outlined in state law as being inaccessible to animals.
Service Animals may be granted access to restricted areas on a case-by-case basis by gaining approval from LAS and the appropriate department representative.
III. Access to campus for Emotional Support Animals
Emotional Support Animals are only permitted in and around the owner’s campus housing as set forth below. Unlike Service Animals, ESAs are not allowed to accompany persons with disabilities in all public areas of Wheaton campus. Owners may request approval from the LAS Office to have the ESA accompany them to other campus areas. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis consistent with applicable laws.
IV. Service and Emotional Support Animals in Campus Housing
Before a Service Animal or ESA can move into campus housing, a request must be submitted to the LAS Office and approval must be granted (Requests should be made at least 30 days prior to move-in whenever possible as late requests may impact the timeliness of the approval process). As provided in the Animals/Pets in Campus Housing Policy, the fine for an unauthorized animal in campus housing is $50 per day.
LAS Office may require documentation from a licensed physician or mental health provider (must be a non-family member) including but not limited to a qualified psychiatrist, social worker or other mental health professional, to provide sufficient information for Wheaton to determine:
- That the individual qualifies as a person with a disability (i.e. has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities); and
- That the Service Animal or ESA is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy campus housing (i.e. that the animal would provide emotional support or other assistance that would alleviate one or more symptoms or effects of the disability).
V. Emotional Support Animal Approval Process
Student requests for Service and Assistance Animals must be made to the Director of LAS by sending an e-mail to las@wheaton.edu or calling 630.752.5615. Documentation may be requested as outlined in this Policy.
A staff member in the LAS Office may speak directly with roommates or students in neighboring rooms prior to the approval of a Service or Assistance Animal to determine if allergies, phobias, or other health concerns are present. No information regarding the diagnosis or nature of the disability will be shared. If approval is granted, the LAS Office may speak directly with the roommates or students in neighboring rooms to ensure the arrangement is effective and not disruptive to the living and learning experiences of others.
VI. Care and Control
The following guidelines for Service and Assistance Animals are intended to ensure that the animal does not engage in behavior that would be disruptive or a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
- The Owner is responsible for the cost, care, and supervision of Service and Emotional Support Animals.
- Wheaton College is not responsible for the care or supervision of Service and Emotional Support Animals.
- Roommates and student neighbors are not responsible for the care or supervision of Service and Emotional Support Animals.
- Owners who are accompanied by Assistance Animals must comply with the same college rules regarding noise, safety, disruption, and cleanliness as people without disabilities.
- If the animal’s behavior is disruptive, aggressive, or destructive, the handler will be held responsible and may be asked to remove the animal from campus.
Guidelines for Service and Emotional Support Animals on campus:
- Animals must be controlled by Owner at all times.
- Animals who are in public spaces on campus must be on a leash at all times unless a leash would negatively impact the ability of the animal to complete the task/service for which it is being utilized.
- Animals in common areas of campus residences must be on a leash, harness, or in a carrier.
- Animals may not disrupt the environment by barking, meowing, scratching, screeching, or growling.
- Arrangements must be made to remove the animal from campus during breaks and any other time when the Owner is off-campus overnight.
- Animals must be in good health.
- Animals must be properly vaccinated; vaccinations must be current. Documentation is required.
- Animals must be maintained in a manner that takes into consideration the health and hygiene of the animal and those who come in contact with the animal.
- To the greatest extent possible, the animal should be unobtrusive to other students and the learning environment.
- Wheaton will not require any deposits, surcharges, or fees for Service or Emotional Support Animals. However, an Owner may be charged for damage caused by a Service or Emotional Support Animal in the same way that Wheaton normally charges a person for the damage they cause or if the room requires additional cleaning beyond standard yearly institutional cleaning procedures. Examples of reasons for additional cleaning may include but are not limited to: residue of animal waste on the floor, urine or animal smell in the apartment, and excessive fur/animal hair within the apartment.
- The Owner is responsible for complying with the DuPage County/City of Wheaton dog control and licensing laws or any other applicable laws pertaining to animal licensing, vaccination, identification, or animal rights and owner responsibilities.
- Relief Guidelines
- Service and Assistance Animals must be housebroken before arriving on campus.
- The Owner is responsible for cleaning up all animal waste and disposing of that waste immediately in outdoor dumpsters. Animal waste is not to be disposed of indoors.
VII. Conflicting or Competing Accommodations
If another student, staff, or faculty member has a severe allergy around animal dander or a phobia to the type of animal being approved, attempts will be made to accommodate the needs of both individuals to the fullest extent possible.
VIII. Responsibilities of the Campus Community
- Must allow Service animals to accompany their Owners at all times and everywhere on campus where the general public are allowed.
- If it is not apparent that an animal is a Service Animal, the appropriate way to ascertain the animal's status is to ask if it is required due to a disability and/or what tasks it has been trained to perform. Specific questions about the individual’s disability should not be asked.
- Contact LAS if any questions or concerns arise relating to Service Animals or ESAs.
- Contact LAS Office if students/faculty/staff have any additional questions regarding visitors to campus who have animals.
- Report any animals who misbehave or any Owners (or other individuals) who mistreat Service or Assistance Animals to the Wheaton Public Safety at 630.752.5911 or 911 from campus phones.
- Faculty or staff members with questions may contact LAS at las@wheaton.edu or 630.752.5615.
IX. Appeal Process
If an individual believes that a request for a reasonable accommodation related to the use of a Service Animal or an ESA on campus has been wrongfully denied, the individual can refer to the LAS Grievance Policy for procedures to appeal the decision.