Animals On Campus Policy

Introduction

1. Northeastern University London (the University) recognises that some people will require the use of guide dogs and other assistance animals to undertake day-to-day activities including attending work or study.

Purpose

2. This Policy is designed to ensure that appropriate access is given to assistance animals whilst maintaining health and safety standards and acknowledging that some members of the community may have allergies or phobias that make the presence of animals distressing to them.

Scope

3. This policy addresses animals in University buildings and applies to all persons entering University buildings.

General Principles

4. The main hazards and concerns associated with having animals on campus are:
   1. Stalled or delayed evacuation of a building in an emergency situation.
   2. Aggressive behavior of animals.
   3. Allergic reactions and transmission of disease.
   4. Zoophobia (phobia of animals that causes distress or dysfunction in an individual’s everyday life).
   5. Slips, trips and falls.
   6. Animal waste.
   7. Damage to University property.
5. Only animals listed below are permitted inside University buildings. All other animals are strictly prohibited. Animals are prohibited by the Landlord and are not permitted in any of the Landlord common areas, except in the event of emergency services.
6. Animals should not be secured to the exterior of Devon House building.

Emergency Services Animals

7. A police dog trained to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel are permitted on campus, as appropriate. Their duties include: searching for drugs and explosives, and finding crime scene evidence.

Assistance Dogs

8. Assistance dogs which are required for a valid medical disability (guide dogs, hearing dogs, service or support, seizure alert dogs) are permitted on campus. An assistance dog must be kept under control of their owner at all times. An assistance dog coming onto campus are subject to the below requirements:
   1. Be trained by a member of Assistance Dogs UK or another verified organization in the UK (or abroad) who is able to issue you with a yellow ID booklet. The ID booklet should contain information about the owner and the dog, details of training and the organization who trained the dog and it’s owner.
   2. New staff and students of the University will be asked to provide the booklet as set out below in Informing the University. Visitors must bring the aforementioned yellow booklet with you on your visit to verify the requirement of an assistance dog.
   3. Have a formal identification on the dog in the form of a branded jacket or lead slip.

Therapy Animals

9. According to the Society for Companion Animal Studies, a therapy dog is a general term to describe a dog that is used to benefit people in a therapeutic way. This includes quite a wide range of potential activities with a wide range of potential people and clients. Some pets take part in visiting programmes, whilst others take part in structured activities as part of a therapeutic programme or practice.
10. Any person who requires a therapy animal to attend campus must ensure that the animal is to be suitably trained and be registered with an organization such as Pets as Therapy recognized by the University. The requirements for a therapy animal will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by Student Support and Development for students and by Human Resources for staff members.

Conditions for Assistance/Therapy Animals on Campus

11. Assistance/therapy animal owners must ensure that their assistance dogs are clearly identifiable by the use of special collars and/or harnesses when on duty.
12. Owners are responsible for ensuring that their assistance/therapy animals are covered by full liability insurance and provide a copy to the relevant department.
13. Assistance/therapy animal owners must respect access restrictions established by the University on grounds of health and safety. Owners must ensure that assistance/therapy animals do not enter any restricted areas outlined in the condition in this policy, such as the Landlords common parts.
14. Assistance/therapy animals must stay with their owner at all times, these animals are not to be left in the care of others and are solely the responsibility of the owner. Owners must make sure that assistance/therapy animals have adequate provisions for feeding, water and toileting. The University is not responsible for any of these provisions.
15. Registered blind people are not required to clean up after their guide dogs, but they are expected to have received the appropriate training to avoid dog waste on campus.
16. Assistance/therapy animal owners have responsibility for the clean-up of the animal’s waste. Owners must make arrangements outside of the campus for toileting requirements. In the event that an animal fouls inside campus, the owner must report this to the Hub area. Facilities will be immediately informed, and will make arrangements for the area to be appropriately cleaned and treated.
17. Preventing and correcting assistance dog’s misbehaviour is the owner’s responsibility. Owners must make sure that their assistance dogs do not cause harm or injury to others and damage to University property.
18. The University is not responsible for the loss, harm or death of any animals which may attend University premises, any animals which are brought to our campus need to be in good health. If any reasonable adjustments need to be made for your assistance/therapy animal, you must notify the relevant department.

Appropriate Behaviour Toward Assistance/Therapy Animals on Campus

19. Members of the University community, and visitors shall not:
    1. Feed, pet or praise assistance dogs.
    2. Deliberately distract or startle an assistance animal.
    3. Separate or attempt to separate an assistance animal from the person using the animal’s service.

Informing the University

20. Visitors who have a requirement to bring an assistance/therapy animal onto campus need to notify their onsite contact, who will then in turn liaise with Facilities.
21. Students who have a requirement to bring an assistance/therapy animal onto campus need to contact the Student Support and Development Team who will work with the student to prepare a Learning Support Plan in advance of their start to set out support and accommodations agreed by the University including access of the assistance animal.
22. Staff who need to bring an assistance/therapy animal need to contact Human Resources.

Version History