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Animals on Campus

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Service and Assistance Animals

Reasonable accomodations can be made for service and assistance animals under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans wih Disabilities Act (ADA).

The University requres certain documentation to demonstrate a need for said animal, which must be recieved and reviewed by Disability Support Services before meeting with a Residence Life Professional Staff member.

Student Housing will permit a resident's animal to live in their assigned bedroom and, in the resident's presence, within the common areas of Student Housing. Permission is subject to conditions outlined below, which describes specific UAS policies regarding service and assistance animals as well as a resident's responsibility with their animal while living on campus. Failure to complay with the policies outlined within a signed aggreement may lead to the animal being removed from Student Housing.

  1. Vaccination/Licensing:All approved animals must be properly vaccinated and licensed with the City and Borough of Juneau. All animals must also be spayed or neutered. Required tags must be present on the animal at all times. The owner must submit proof of vaccination and license to Student Housing annually. The University reserves the right to request current records at any time during the animal's residency.
  2. Changes: A resident who no longer has a service/assistance animal living with them must notify Disability Services in writing when the animal is no longer needed or present. To replace an approved animal, the owner must also request an updated accommodation letter from Disability Services and submit vaccination and license information to Student Housing.
  3. Financial Responsibility: The owner is financially responsibile for any damage to property or injury to individuals caused by the animal. 
  4. Restrictions: The approved anumal must be contained within the owner's individual unit at all times, except when transported outside the unit via animal carrier, leash, or harness. Service animals are welcome in all buildings on campus in order to perform their work. Assistance animals are not allowed in campus buildings outside of Student Housing. The owner of any approved animal must keep the animal under restraint and under supervision at all times while it is outside of the owner's individual unit. Animals may not be tethered to University buildings, structures, motor vehicles, trees, railings, light poles, benches, posts, or other structures. Animals may not be kept on permanent or semi-permanent "runs" outside of units. "Runs" or other isntallations will be removed by University staff.
  5. Extended/Overnight Absences: Owners are expected to be with their service/assistance animals regularly. Leaving a service or assistance animal in housing overnight or for an extended period of time without the owner present is inappropriate. If an owner will not be in the residence for more than 10 hours, they must find alternative accomodations for the animal. owners may not leave their animals with another roommate, nor may the animal stay in another unit. The animal should travel with the resident or stay in a local kennel while the resident is away.
  6. Animal Cleanliness: Owners are responsibile for the cleanliness of their animals. This includes the personal hygiene of the animal (being bathed regularly) as well as the cleanliness of UAS facilities, including the individual unit and exterior walkways, lawn areas, etc. Animal waste (indoor and outdoor) must be removed and properly disposed of immediately -- failure to do so will result in cleaning charges and/or removal of the animal. An owner must arrange for an appropriate cleaning service if the owner is physically unable to remove and dispose of animal waste. 
  7. Roommate Permission: By signing an agreement, the resident acknowledges that Student Housing will contact roommates who will be placed within the same unit in order to obtain their approval to live with a service or assistance animal. Confidential information (such as the resident's name, specific diagnoses, etc.) will not be shared. If a roommate does not agree to leaving with an animal, either the owner and animal or the roommate will be relocated to a different unit. 
  8. University Compliance: The owner must agree to follow all other UAS Residence Life and campus policies. Reasonable accommodation, which is an exception to the UAS pet policy, does not constitute an exception to any other policy. 
  9. Removal of Animal: The University may remove a service or asstiance animal when 1) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, 2) when the owner does not comply with the policies set forth within these policies, 3) when the animal or its presence creates an unmaneagble disturbance or interference with the University of Alaska Southeast community, or 4) when the animal's presence fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity.
Approved Animals

As partners in accomodating the presence of animals in our Housing community, it is important for residents with authorized animals to comply with the following policies:

  • Animals may be brought on University property provided that the animal is:
    • Confined in the owner's automobile (with consideration for weather conditions and ventilation)
    • On a leash or harness and accompanied at all times by an individual capable of controlling the animal.
  • Anyone who brings a pet on University property must:
    • Comply with CBJ ordinance requirements for sanitary disposal (08.40.040);
    • Assume all financial responsibility for any damage to property or injury to individuals caused by the animal.
  • Animals may not be tethered to University buildings, structures, motor vehicles, trees, railings, light poles, benches, posts, or other structures.
  • Animals found tethered to University property or wandering loose on campus may be reported to the local enforcement agency.                                                                                                   
  • Failure to adhere to these policies could result in non-compliance fines in addition to revocation of the resident’s right to have an animal in the Housing community. 
Aquariums

Authorized pets include fish and aquatic amphibians that are contained in an aquarium that does not exceed 10 gallons. No more than 25 gallons of total aquarium space is allowed in any one unit, regardless of which resident(s) are in possession of aquariums. Residents are not allowed to have any other pets in units at any time.

Unauthorized Pets

Residents found with unauthorized pets inside Housing units will be subject to a $300 fine, which may be assigned to each resident within the unit if no one accepts responsibility for the animal’s presence, as well as possible conduct review. Additional cleaning fees may also apply and the pet will be expected to be removed immediately from the premises. Unauthorized animals or pets may not visit Housing units for even short periods of time.