Service Animal Policy at University Athletic Events

I.         Policy Statement

A.        California State University, Fullerton (“University”) recognizes the importance of Service Animals to individuals with disabilities and has established the following policy for the use of Service Animals at University athletic events.

B.        Designation as a Service Animal

1.   Service Animals can be any breed or size of dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability (“Owner”), including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or task a Service Animal has been trained to perform must be directly related to the Owner's disability. Examples of such work or tasks include but are not limited to:

• Guiding people who are blind;
• Alerting people who are deaf;
• Pulling a wheelchair; and
• Alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure.

2.   Miniature horses may be a Service Animal if they are individually trained to benefit an Owner and can be reasonably accommodated. The following four factors drive a determination whether such animals can be accommodated:

• Is the miniature horse housebroken?
• Is the miniature horse under the Owner’s control?
• Can the facility accommodate the type, size and weight of the miniature horse?
• Will the presence of the miniature horse compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the athletic event?

3.   A dog or miniature horse is not a Service Animal if its mere presence benefits an Owner.

C.        Inquiries Concerning Service Animals

1.   Unless there is reason to believe that a Service Animal poses a threat to health or safety, University employees may only ask the following questions of an Owner only when it is not readily apparent that the dog or miniature horse is a Service Animal:

• Is the animal required because of a disability?
• What task or work has the animal been trained to perform?

University employees may not request or require any documentation, require that the Service Animal demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the Owner’s disability.

D.        Treatment of Owners

Owners with Service Animals may not be isolated from other patrons or treated less favorably than other guests. Service Animals are permitted in areas where food is sold. University employees are not required to provide care or supervision for a Service Animal.

II.        Care and Supervision of Service Animals

A Service Animal must be leashed or tethered at all times unless doing so would interfere with the performance of the work or tasks performed by the Service Animal or the Owner’s disability. In that circumstance, a leash or other tether is not required. However, the Owner must be able to control the Service Animal by other effective means such as voice controls or signals.

III.      Removal of Service Animals

A.        A Service Animal is generally permitted to accompany the Owner to areas where members of the public are allowed to go. However, the University will ask the Owner to remove a Service Animal from a facility if the (a) Service Animal is out of control and the Owner does not take effective action to or is unable control it; or (b) Service Animal is not housebroken. The University will also ask the Owner to remove a Service Animal from any area if the use or presence of the Service Animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or if the animal’s behavior, such as barking, fundamentally alters the athletic event.

B.        When a Service Animal is removed pursuant to this Policy, the University will work with the Owner to determine reasonable alternative opportunities to allow the Owner to attend the athletic event without having the Service Animal present.

C.        Owners may be charged for any damage cause by the Service Animal.
 
IV.       Service Animals in Training

Service Animals in training are permitted on the same basis as Service Animals as long as the dog or miniature horse is leashed/tethered and wears an identification tag issued by a county, animal control department or other authorized state/local agency that identifies the animal as a Service Animal in training.

V.        Emotional Support Animals and Pets

Emotional Support Animals and pets are not permitted. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as Service Animals.