Service and Emotional Support Animals on Campus

Ramapo College of NJ (the College), being mindful of the health and safety concerns of the community, generally limits the presence of privately-owned animals on campus.  However, the College is also committed to accommodate students and others with disabilities that require the assistance of service or support animals.

Animals are only allowed on campus when they are providing service or support to a member of the College or guest to campus as a reasonable disability accommodation. This policy applies to those individuals with disabilities who will be accompanied by a service animal or who will require a support animal while on campus. 

Definitions:

• Service Animal:   ” . . . any . . . animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals who are hearing impaired to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair or fetching dropped items” (ADA as amended). If an animal meets the definition of a service animal, it is considered a service animal regardless of whether it has been licensed or certified by a state or local government or a training program. Service animals are generally dogs.
• Emotional Support Animal: An animal that is prescribed or otherwise documented by a healthcare or mental health professional as a treatment for a disabled individual and that is beneficial in alleviating one or more identified symptoms or effects of that individual’s disability.

Service Animals are permitted on campus when accompanied by…

Any student, guest or member of the public who has a disability as defined by the ADAAA or the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. The person accompanying the animal may be asked by College staff (including Public Safety Officers) whether the animal is a service animal, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform for the disabled person. For more information concerning service animals of campus, please refer to the Service Animal Policy.

Emotional Support Animals on campus… 

When a student with a disability has registered with the Office of Specialized Services (OSS),  provided disability documentation demonstrating the benefits provided by the emotional support animal, and been granted an accommodation permitting the presence of the emotional support animal on campus. Student use of emotional support animals may be limited to defined areas of campus and generally will not be permitted in academic or recreational facilities. For more information concerning emotional support animals of campus, please refer to the Emotional Support Animal Policy.

Contact

Location: C-Wing, Room 205
Email: oss@ramapo.edu
Phone: 201-684-7514 / TTY via NJ Relay: 711
Fax: 201-684-7004