Service animals assisting individuals with disabilities are generally permitted in all facilities and program on Madison College campuses. 

You are not required to provide an instructor with an Accommodation Plan from DRS to have a service animal in the classroom. 

  • Overview

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Wisconsin law define a service animal as a dog or other animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples include, but are not limited to:

    • guiding individuals who are blind
    • alerting individuals with a hearing loss to sounds
    • alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure
    • pulling a wheelchair
    • retrieving dropped items

    Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a service animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals.

    When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask you, "Is your service animal required because of a disability?". 

    Staff cannot ask about your disability, require medical documentation, a special identification card or training documentation for the dog. Staff also are prohibited to ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.

    Although emotional support and comfort animals are not considered service animals under the ADA, they may be considered as a necessary accommodation under Section 504. 

    If you want to use a non-service animal on campus, you may request this accommodation with the Disability Resource Services team to determine what is appropriate and necessary. On a case-by-case basis, we will engage with you to assess your need for emotional support and comfort from the animal.

  • Responsibilities of Service Animal Users

    • The owner must provide proof of current rabies vaccinations. 
    • The service animal is always in a harness or on a leash.
    • The service animal is under control and always behaves properly.
    • The supervision of the service animal is the responsibility of its owner.
    • Regular bathing of the service animal is expected to avoid odor and shedding.
    • The service animal must be toilet trained; the owner is responsible for the cleanup of animal waste.
    • The owner must use appropriate toilet areas for the service animal.
  • Types of Service Animals

    Dog in Training: A dog being trained to perform as a service animal has the same rights as a fully-trained dog when accompanied by a trainer and identified as such.

    Guide Dog: Professionally trained to serve as a travel tool for persons who are blind or have severe visual impairments.

    Hearing Dog: Professionally trained to alert a person who is deaf or with significant hearing loss when a particular sound occurs.

    Miniature Horse: Miniature horse service animals trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The animal’s range in height from 24 to 34 inches measured to the shoulders, and generally weigh between 70 and 100 pounds. The miniature horse must be housebroken and under the owner's control. 

    Other factors to consider:

    • The facility must be able to accommodate the horse's type, size, and weight.
    • The horse's presence must not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the facility.

    Service Dog: Professionally trained to assist a person who has a mobility or health impairment. 

    SIG Dog: Professionally trained to assist a person with autism. The dog alerts the partner to distracting repetitive movements and may provide support like that provided by a dog for a person who is vision- or hearing-impaired.

    Seizure Response Dog: Professionally trained to assist a person with a seizure disorder. How the dog serves the person depends on the person’s needs. The dog may stand guard over the person during a seizure, or the dog may go for help. Some dogs have learned to predict a seizure and warn the person in advance.

  • Restrictions and On-Campus Safety Protocol

    There are certain areas that may be considered unsafe for the service dog and its partner, or where the presence of an animal might interfere with the safety of others. 

    These environments may include spaces such as machine rooms, kitchens, and any area where protective clothing is necessary. 

    Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. If it is determined that an area is unsafe, reasonable accommodations will be provided to assure equal access to the student.

    Additionally, some individuals may have adverse reactions to a service dog due to allergies or prior trauma. If these circumstances arise, the resolution of the complaint will take into consideration the needs of all parties and be as prompt as possible.

    If a service animal becomes aggressive and poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, the student or campus visitor will be required immediately to remove the service animal from the college property. 

    This behavior includes excessive barking, running around without a leash, or growling/biting others. The student or campus visitor using the service animal is expected to report such incidents to Disability Resource Services within 24 hours of the occurrence. 

    An excessively unclean or unkempt service animal may be asked to leave campus until the problem is resolved.

  • Service Animals in Teaching Labs

    If you anticipate working with a service animal in a lab while enrolled at Madison College, we want to provide that opportunity without endangering the safety of you, your fellow students, or your animal.

    Before you attend the first lab for a class, you must meet with the faculty member teaching the laboratory component of your course and a staff member from Disability Resource Services.

    You will need to plan for this meeting with plenty of notice (1-2 months before the start of your class is not too much!) so that plans may be worked out without disrupting your class participation.

    During this meeting, you can expect to be asked questions including, but not limited to:

    • Is the animal a service animal required because of a disability?
    • What work, or task has the animal been trained to perform?
    • Do you require the animal to be always with you or only under certain circumstances? What are those circumstances?
    • Do you need a place for the animal to stay while you are in the lab and not need the animal at that time? How does the animal alert?

    Additionally, there are a few other preparations you can make ahead of each course with a laboratory requirement.

    Please bring the required protective equipment for your service animal.
    Service animals are required to wear the same personal protective equipment covering as students in the lab. This means that you must acquire goggles, foot protection (though a protective mat will be provided for the animal’s safety during lab), and sturdy protective clothing for your service animal. We are happy to work with you to identify clothing materials that are well suited to the laboratory environment.

    Discuss with faculty and DRS about chemical safety information pertaining to your service animal.
    It will be your responsibility to discuss with faculty and DRS any chemical hazards that your service animal may be exposed to.

    In-lab chemical hazards and alternative assignments.
    In some cases, lab exercises may involve chemicals that may pose a hazard to your service animal. In such cases, your instructor will work to provide you with an alternative assignment to minimize the loss of instructional quality and keep you from losing any credit.

    Leashing your service animal.
    Per Madison College policy, service animals will have to always remain leashed unless doing so prevents them from performing their necessary service or the individual’s disability prevents the use of these devices.