It is the policy of Northwest Missouri State University that service dogs assisting individuals with physical disabilities are generally permitted in all facilities and programs on the university campus except as described below.
“Service dogs” are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform physical tasks for people with disabilities including, but not limited to guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, opening a door, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service dogs are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service dogs under ADA.
The ADA, Missouri law [RsMO 209.150] and Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents Resolution [#9114] allow service dogs accompanying persons with disabilities to be on the Northwest Missouri State University campus. A service dog must be permitted to accompany a person with a disability everywhere on campus that the person would otherwise be allowed to go. However, there are some places on campus that are not safe for service dogs; these areas are discussed in greater detail, below.
A service dog may be asked to leave a university facility or program if the animal’s behavior or presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. For example, a service animal that displays vicious behavior toward people may be excluded. Service dogs that are not housebroken can also be asked to leave university facilities and programs. In addition, animals not covered under the ADA service animal definition can be asked to leave a university facility or program. Questions related to the use of service dogs on campus should be directed to ada@nwmissouri.edu
Service dogs may also be excluded in areas where the presence of a service animal fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity or is disruptive. Examples may include, but are not limited to, research labs, areas requiring protective clothing, and food preparation areas. These areas are more thoroughly explained in the next section, and the chart in the Appendix lists the specific areas on campus where service dogs are excluded from entering.
Permission to access restricted areas may be granted to an individual animal/partner team on a case-by-case basis. The access decision will be made by the AVP, Title IX and Equity, laboratory director or instructor, and, in some cases, the Chemical Safety Manager.
The final decision shall be made based on the nature of research or machinery and the best interest of the animal. Example: The machinery in a classroom may have moving parts at a height such that the tail of a large dog could easily be caught in it; this is a valid reason for keeping large dogs out. However, a very small hearing dog may be shorter than any moving part and, therefore, considered for admission to the classroom.
To be granted an exception: A partner who wants her or his service dog to be granted admission to an off-limits area should contact ADA@nwmissouri.edu.
Specific areas off-limits to Service Animals at Northwest Missouri State University:
School/Department | Lab | Activity | Lab Director |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural Sciences |
Greenhouses |
Possible exposure to pesticides and fertilizers |
Director, School of Agricultural Sciences |
Ag Mechanics lab-Thompson-Ringold |
Welding, woodworking, machine shop |
Director, School of Agricultural Sciences |
|
Fine and Performing Arts |
Design Studio |
Woodworking |
Chair, Fine & Performing Arts Department |
Sculpture Studio |
Welding |
Chair, Fine & Performing Arts Department |
|
Scene Shop |
Welding, woodworking |
Facility Manager, Ron Houston PAC |
|
Health Science and Wellness |
Dietetics lab |
Food preparation areas |
Director, School of Health Science and Wellness |
Humanities and Social Sciences |
History lab/Academic Resource Center |
Sign shop materials: cutting tools, heat press, etc. |
Chair, Humanities and Social Sciences Department |
Natural Sciences |
Chemistry labs |
Experiments, hazardous chemicals, etc. |
Chair, Natural Sciences Department |
Saw room |
Sawing rocks and minerals, requires safety glasses, etc. |
Chair, Natural Sciences Department |
|
Biology labs |
Experiments, hazardous chemicals, etc. |
Chair, Natural Sciences Department |
|
Education |
Early Childhood Center kitchen |
Food preparation |
Director, Leet Early Childhood Center |
Other Restricted Areas: |
|||
Maintenance shops and custodial closets |
-- | -- |
Director, Facility Services |
Food service preparation areas |
-- | -- |
Director, Campus Dining Services |
To be granted an exception: A partner who wants her or his service dog to be granted admission to an off-limits area should contact ada@nwmissouri.edu.