What is a Service Animal?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a 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. Performing “work or tasks” means that the dog is trained to take a specific action when needed to
assist the person with a disability. Examples of such work tasks may include guiding an individual who is blind, alerting individuals who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, or alerting and protecting an individual experiencing a seizure.
(28 C.F.R. §§ 35.104; 36.104)
UMBC is committed to complying with federal, state and local laws regarding individuals with disabilities. In that regard, UMBC supports students with disabilities who require the assistance of a service animal. Although a student with a trained service dog is not required to register with the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS), it is recommended that students with disabilities register in the event assistance is needed navigating campus or if additional accommodations are needed to fully participate in all campus activities. Students residing in Residential Life with a service dog however, will need to complete Res Life’s animal agreement forms and are encouraged to meet with a Residential Life staff person well in advance of move-in date to coordinate their housing.
Note: A service animal is not a pet or emotional support/comfort animal.
For additional information regarding service dogs, please click the web links below to find the ADA regulations.