Restricted Areas for Service Animals

Service animals may be restricted from certain university spaces if their presence would fundamentally change the nature of the services, programs, or activities in those areas. Restricted spaces may include:

  1. Sterile environments
  2. Areas requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) for access
  3. Areas with live animals that are natural prey or predators of dogs

Determining Restricted Spaces

If a course space falls into any of the categories above, the department or lab manager may choose to designate it as restricted. No further analysis is needed if it meets one of these criteria.

Individuals wishing to declare a space as restricted that does not meet these criteria, must submit a request to the Director of the Disability Resource Center. The request will be reviewed by the following individuals:

  • Director of the Disability Resource Center
  • Environmental Health and Safety Manager in the Office of Research
  • Chief Compliance Officer

Access for Students and Employees

  • Students wanting to bring service animals into restricted areas should work with the Disability Resource Center to explore access options.
  • Employees should consult the ADA representative in Human Resources for similar assistance.

Whenever feasible, a plan will be developed to allow service animal access. If access is not possible, alternative accommodations will be considered to ensure the handler can access the space without their animal.

Syllabus Statement for Restricted Access

For courses that do not allow unrestricted service animal access, the following statement must be included in the syllabus:

Service Animals in [Course Name] Utah State University is dedicated to providing access for service dog handlers. Due to the unique nature of laboratory environments, service animal handlers must meet with the Disability Resource Center before bringing a service dog into the lab for this course. The purpose of this meeting is not to prevent you from having your service animal with you but rather to understand how to best accommodate your needs and the needs of your animal. Please contact the Disability Resource Center at Disability Resource Center at 435-797-2444 or drc@usu.edu to schedule an appointment.