Animals on Campus Policy

Purpose: 

To ensure that animals that are on campus are authorized and animal owners know their responsibilities to manage their animals.

Definitions Related to this Policy: 

Assistance Animal means an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.

Emotional Support Animal means a type of assistance animal that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.

Pet Dogs means well-mannered dogs that are not service animals.

Service Animal means only dogs and miniature horses as defined by Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Policy:

Animals are not allowed on Willamette’s campus except in the following situations:

1. Service Animals are permitted on campus. See Service Animal Guidelines.
2. Emotional Support or Assistance Animals are limited to residence rooms, except as set forth below where the Emotional Support or Assistance Animal is also a Pet Dog. Students must receive authorization to have an Emotional Support Animal in their residence room by submitting an application. See Emotional Support Animal Guidelines.
3. Animals used for teaching and research are addressed in the Institutional Review Board policy.
4. Animals for Events: Groups wishing to bring animals to campus for short duration events may submit a Request for Animals at a Campus Event to have the animals present during the event. The Request must be submitted to the Scheduling Office at least ten days prior to the event by the sponsoring student organization or university division or department. Liability insurance will be required from the owner of the animals if the request is approved.
5. Well-mannered Pet Dogs are the only animals that are permitted to be on campus that are not addressed in items 1-4 above. The rights of people in the campus community will always take precedence over the rights of people to bring Pet Dogs to campus.

The requirements and restrictions for having a Pet Dog on campus include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Pet Dogs must be kept on a leash while on Willamette University Property.
2. Pet Dogs are not allowed in academic classrooms, residence halls, College of Law buildings, the Atkinson Graduate School of Management (including the Portland Center), Bishop Wellness Center, Goudy Commons, The Bistro, Cat Cavern, Kaneko Commons food service area, Hatfield Library (including the Fish Bowl), or the Montag Center. The University may designate additional areas where Pet Dogs are not allowed at any time at the University’s sole discretion.
3. Pet Dog owners must clean up after their dogs. Pet Dog owners are financially responsible for any damage caused by their Pet Dog.
4. Pet Dogs may not be left unattended by their owners.
5. The University reserves the right to prohibit a Pet Dog from campus if the Pet Dog’s behavior is determined to be disruptive or inappropriate.
6. Employees must have prior approval from their supervisor to bring a Pet Dog to campus during the employee’s working hours. A Pet Dog must not interfere with the employee’s ability to perform their required duties.

Effective Date: March 1, 2020
Responsible Person/Primary Contact: Director of Campus Safety
Responsible University Office: Service Center/Campus Safety