Pets and other animals are prohibited on Otis College of Art and Design (Otis College) campuses. The College recognizes the importance of “Service Animals” as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (“ADAAA”) and the broader category of “Assistance Animals” under the Fair Housing Act that provide physical and/or emotional support to individuals with disabilities.
Otis College is committed to allowing individuals with disabilities the use of a Service Animal on campus to facilitate their full- participation and equal access to the College’s programs and activities. Otis College is also committed to allowing Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) necessary to provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to use and enjoy College housing. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that qualified students with disabilities can participate in and benefit from College services, programs and activities.
Definitions and Descriptions
An individual with a disability is a person who 1) has a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more of a person’s major life activities or 2) has a record of having, or being perceived as having, a physical or mental impairment.
A 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 health disability. The work, or tasks, performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Tasks performed can include, but are not limited to, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button. Service animals are defined in Title III of the ADA regulations (28 C.F.R. § 36.104). Service animals under Title II and III of the ADA are limited to dogs; however, entities must make reasonable modifications in policies to allow individuals with disabilities to use miniature horses if they have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.
Support animals are animals used by individuals with disabilities to alleviate one or more identified symptoms of an individual’s disability. Emotional support animals (ESAs), assistance animals, comfort animals, and therapy animals are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA because they are not individually trained to perform work or tasks. Support animals are not service animals. Unlike a service animal, support animals do not assist with daily living tasks. Individuals with a disability may be allowed an ESA in College housing with the appropriate documentation; however, they are not permitted in other areas of the College (e.g. dining facilities, libraries, academic buildings, classrooms, labs, individual centers, etc.).
Service Animals on Campus
Individuals with disabilities, including visitors who utilize service animals on campus grounds, are encouraged, but not required to complete an Animal Registration Form. Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to affiliate with Disability Services. Staff and faculty are encouraged to contact Human Resources & Development. Disability Services collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to all Otis College programs and activities.
Pets in The Residence Hall
Pets are not permitted in the residence hall. Residents with proper documentation through Disability Services may be permitted to have a support animal in their residence hall unit. Please contact Disability Services at 310-846-2554 or ds@otis.edu if you are requesting your Support Animal in the Residence Hall. Support animals may not reside in the College’s Residence Hall without prior written approval as described in this section. Note: There is only one animal allowed per student with appropriate documentation.