Assistance Animals

Texas Tech University provides access for service animals and considers requests for emotional support animals and service animals in training in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements. The requirements and approval process depend on the type of animal and where the animal will be used.

---

Understanding the Differences

Service Animal

A service animal is a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed must be directly related to the individual's disability.

Examples include guiding a person who is blind or has low vision, alerting a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, alerting an individual to a seizure or other medical condition or performing another disability-related task.

Service animals are generally permitted in university buildings and other areas where members of the public or participants in university programs, services and activities are allowed to go.

Emotional Support Animal

An emotional support animal, or ESA, provides disability-related emotional support but is not individually trained to perform disability-related work or tasks. ESAs are considered as housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.

An ESA approved for university housing is not permitted in classrooms or other university buildings solely because of its ESA status.

Service Animal in Training

A service animal in training is being trained to perform disability-related work or tasks but has not yet completed that training. Texas law provides access for service animals in training when accompanied by an approved trainer. Texas Tech requires students bringing service animals in training into campus buildings to complete the SDS verification process.

---

Service Animals

Individuals with disabilities may generally be accompanied by service animals in Texas Tech buildings and facilities where members of the public or participants in university programs, services and activities are permitted.

Students do not need to register a service animal with Student Disability Services to bring the animal into academic buildings.

When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, university employees may ask:

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

Documentation that the animal has been certified, trained or licensed as a service animal is not required for general access.

Handler Responsibilities

The university is not responsible for the care or supervision of a service animal. The handler is responsible for:

• Keeping the animal under control.
• Using a harness, leash or other tether unless the handler's disability prevents its use or it interferes with the animal's work.
• Using voice, signal or another effective method of control when a tether cannot be used.
• Complying with applicable vaccination, animal health and other legal requirements.
• Immediately cleaning up and properly disposing of animal waste.
• Any damage caused by the animal.

A service animal may be removed if it is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, if it is not housebroken or when its presence would pose a direct threat or fundamentally alter the nature of a university program or activity.

Service Animals in University Housing

Service animals are permitted in university housing. Students planning to live in university housing with a service animal should complete the housing request process so University Student Housing can collect applicable animal health and vaccination information and coordinate housing arrangements.

Service Animal Housing Request Form

---

Emotional Support Animals

Students with disabilities may request an emotional support animal as an accommodation in university housing when:

• The student has a disability.
• The animal is necessary to provide the student an equal opportunity to use and enjoy university housing.
• There is an identifiable relationship between the disability and the emotional support provided by the animal.

Unlike a service animal, an ESA does not need to be trained to perform disability-related work or tasks.

Students must receive approval before bringing an ESA into university housing.

Types of Emotional Support Animals

ESAs are typically animals commonly kept in households, such as a dog, cat, small bird, rabbit, hamster, gerbil, other small rodent, fish or turtle.

Requests involving an animal that is not commonly kept in a household may require additional information demonstrating the disability-related need for that specific type of animal.

ESA Responsibilities

Students approved for an ESA are responsible for the animal's care and control. This includes:

• Providing appropriate food, care and attention.
• Complying with applicable vaccination, animal health, licensing and leash requirements.
• Immediately cleaning up and properly disposing of animal waste.
• Preventing disruptive behavior.
• Following University Student Housing requirements.
• Paying for damage or extraordinary cleaning caused by the animal.

An ESA may be excluded from university housing if the animal is not housebroken, poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, causes substantial physical damage, fundamentally alters university housing operations or is not being properly cared for.

---

Request an Emotional Support Animal

Students requesting an ESA in university housing must complete the accommodation request process through Student Disability Services.

1. Complete the SDS accommodation request process. Submit an application and supporting disability documentation to Student Disability Services.
2. Submit the ESA request form. Provide the required information supporting the disability-related need for the animal.
3. SDS reviews the request. SDS reviews the documentation and determines whether the request is supported as a disability-related housing accommodation.
4. Complete the SDS process. If approved, the student completes the required meeting or other steps with SDS.
5. Complete University Student Housing requirements. SDS sends the approved housing accommodation to University Student Housing. Housing will contact the student regarding applicable agreements, animal information, vaccination records and other housing requirements.
6. Wait for final approval before bringing the animal to housing. The ESA should not be brought into university housing until the required SDS and University Student Housing processes are complete.

Documentation

Documentation should come from a qualified provider who has an established professional relationship with the student. It should provide information supporting:

• The existence of a disability.
• The disability-related need for the ESA.
• The relationship between the disability and the assistance or emotional support provided by the animal.

Online certificates, registrations or template letters purchased solely to establish ESA status may not provide sufficient information to support a request.

Emotional Support Animal Request Form

---

Service Animals in Training

Texas law permits service animals in training to access public facilities when accompanied by an approved trainer. Students who want to bring a service animal in training into Texas Tech buildings must complete the SDS verification process.

Student Requirements

1. Complete the Service Animals in Training Verification Form. Completing this form does not register the student with SDS for classroom accommodations.
2. Provide certification of training. If the student is an approved trainer, documentation showing certification from an organization whose primary mission is training service animals for people with disabilities must be provided to SDS.
3. Arrange for an approved trainer when required. If the student is not an approved trainer, an approved trainer must accompany the student and animal as required.
4. Meet with SDS. The student must complete the SDS approval process before bringing the service animal in training into campus buildings.

Animal Requirements

A service animal in training must meet Texas Tech requirements for behavior and control. The animal must:

• Be at least one year old.
• Be housebroken.
• Remain under the handler's control.
• Have current required vaccinations.
• Wear required identification, including applicable collar, tags and identification showing the animal is in training.
• Meet the behavioral standards expected of a trained service animal.

Students living in university housing must also complete applicable University Student Housing requirements.

Service Animals in Training Verification Form

---

Assistance Animal Forms

Use the form that corresponds with your request:

• Service Animal Housing Request Form
• Emotional Support Animal Request Form
• Service Animals in Training Verification Form

---

Emotional Support Animal FAQ

Emotional Support Animal FAQ

---

Questions About Assistance Animals?

If you have questions about service animals, emotional support animals or service animals in training, contact Student Disability Services.

Email Student Disability Services