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  1. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the presence of animals on property to promote the health, safety and welfare of the campus community while maintaining compliance with applicable laws. This policy provides guidance for Service Animals and personal pets on campus.
  2. SCOPE: This policy applies to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors on Saint Vincent campus. It does not cover Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). Students seeking ESA accommodation must make arrangements through the Student Affairs Office.
  3. POLICY RECORD:

    3.1. Effective Date: October 2, 2026
    3.2. Policy History: November 7, 2012
    3.3. Policy Owner: Office of Public Safety
  4. DEFINITIONS:

    4.1. Americans with Disability Act (ADA): Legislation that governs the use of Service Animals.

    4.2. Service Animal: A service animal means a guide, signal or service dog or other aid animal that has been certified by a recognized authority to assist a person, because of the physical disability, blindness or deafness of the user, or who is training a guide, signal or support dog or other aid animal for or from a recognized authority for such a user.
  5. POLICY:

5.1. Pets on Campus: Pets are prohibited on Saint Vincent campus. This prohibition applies to students, employees, visitors, and guests, including animals brought by residents, family members, friends, or other visitors.

5.2. Service Animal: An individual with a disability is permitted to be accompanied by a Service Animal in all areas of campus where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, are allowed to go. This includes buildings, roadways, sidewalks, parking areas, athletic facilities, grounds, and walking paths. Service Animals may be excluded from food preparation areas and other areas, under health and safety regulations and for legitimate sanitation and safety reasons.

5.2.1. Service Animals must be harnessed or leashed unless doing so interferes with the service animals work or the handler’s disability prevents the use of these devices. In such cases, the handler must maintain control through voice commands, signals, or other effective means.

5.2.2. The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of the Service Animal at all times, including cleaning up after the animal.

5.2.3. A Service Animal may be excluded from campus if:

5.2.3.1. The animal is out of control, and the handler does not take effective action to control it.

5.2.3.2. The animal is not housebroken.

5.2.3.3. The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by reasonable modifications.

5.2.3.4. A handler may not leave a Service Animal unattended by tethering it to a tree, light post, or other fixed object, or by leaving it in a parked vehicle

5.3 Therapy Animals on Campus:

5.3.1. Includes any animal used by the College Wellness Center for therapy purposes.

  1. ENFORCEMENT:
6.1. The Public Safety Department is authorized to enforce this policy on Saint Vincent property. Public Safety has primary responsibility for disseminating the policy and assisting other units in implementing the policy and procedures.
6.2. Public Safety Officers and other College Officials may ask an individual with a disability only two questions to determine whether an animal qualifies as a Service Animal.
6.2.1. Is the animal required because of a disability?
6.2.2. What work or tasks has the animal been trained to perform?
6.2.3. Saint Vincent cannot require documentation of the disability, require the service animal demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the individual’s disability.
6.3. The Director of Public Safety has the authority to authorize exceptions to this policy in cases of emergency and other special need and must be notified of any issue regarding the implementation or enforcement of this policy.
6.4. Owners (and their animals) who do not fall under this policy will be asked to leave campus with their pet. Owners that do not comply may be subject to administrative penalties and/or banned from campus.
6.5. Public Safety officers are also authorized to contact the local community animal control operations or the Pennsylvania State Police when necessary.

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