The University of New Hampshire is committed to creating a diverse, welcoming, and equitable campus that recognizes the important partnership that exists between an individual with a disability and their service animal. According to the DOJ, Title II, Amended Regulation, 28 CFR Part 35.104, a service animal is defined as:
Service animal means any dog that is individually 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. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
Access rights afforded to users of service animals come with the responsibility of the individual with a disability to ensure compliance with all requirements of this Statement. The individual assumes full personal liability for any damage to property or persons caused by their service animal, and UNH shall not be responsible for any harm to a service animal while on campus, including but not limited to injury to the animal caused by pest management or lawn care products.
Learn More about Service Animals
Key Things to Know
- The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
- With the possible exception of miniature horses, other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals.
- Animals not covered under the service animal definition can be asked to leave a UNH program or facility.
- Service animals can access all spaces that the handler can access. The only exceptions that can be made is if there is a direct danger to the animal or the animal is not under control of the handler and behaving inappropriately.
- The ADA and DOJ do not currently recognize any form of certificate, identification card, vest, or tag as proof of an animal’s designation as a service animal OR an emotional support animal. All of these items may be considered fraudulent, regardless of the claims asserted on the ‘documentation’ items. The "registration" and "certification" documentation purchased online does not constitute appropriate documentation.
- Emotional support/ therapeutic animals that are not within the service animal definition may be entitled to reside in UNH housing as an appropriate accommodation under the Fair Housing Act as determined on a case-by-case basis as part of the interactive accommodation process.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for…
- Ensuring the animal is under control of the handler at all times.
- Ensuring the animal is appropriately trained and housebroken.
- Providing appropriate care for the animal related to health and safety, including emergency care.
- Ensuring the animal’s vaccinations are current and updated as necessary.
- Securing the animal when leaving the animal unattended.
- Ensuring the animal is not unattended overnight.
- As needed, discussing the service animal with SAS.
No. A service animal is an animal that has specialized training to complete a specific task. ESAs do not have specific training, but rather their presence and support provide comfort and emotional support. This is an important distinction. ESAs are only approved as an accommodation as a result of the interactive accommodation process.
Yes. Service animals are allowed to accompany the handler into all spaces the handler is authorized to access on campus. The only exceptions that can be made is if there is a direct danger to the animal or the animal is not under control of the handler and behaving inappropriately.
