Animals on Campus

Select any of the following links:

• Statement of Purpose
• Service Animal Policy
• Contacts
• Definitions

The policy states the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) restrictions regarding animals on campus and pertains to all university locations.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows service animals to be on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. The ADA defines service animals as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Nevada State law defines a service animal as an animal that has been trained to assist or accommodate a person with a disability and a service animal in training as an animal that is being trained to assist or accommodate a person with a disability. A service animal must be permitted to accompany a person with a disability everywhere on campus except in situations where safety may be compromised or where the service animal may interfere with the fundamental nature of the activities being conducted.

All animals on campus must be on a leash (unless a leash interferes with a service animal’s work) and comply with federal, state, county, city laws, regulations, and ordinances, and UNLV’s policies. The individual with the animal must clean up and properly dispose of the animal’s feces. Animals must wear a license tag and a current rabies vaccination tag.

The university prohibits students, faculty, staff, contractors, vendors, visitors, volunteers and anyone else interacting with the university from bringing animals, other than service animals or service animals in training into any university-controlled building or facility without prior approval from the Disability Resource Center or the Office of Compliance.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and allows service animals (dogs) on campus. A service animal must be permitted to accompany a person with a disability everywhere on campus except in situations where safety may be compromised or where the service animal may interfere with the fundamental nature of the activities being conducted such as certain research labs. Service animals are working animals, not pets. A service dog can be any breed or size. It might wear specialized equipment such as a backpack, harness, or special collar or leash, but this is not a legal requirement.

The person a service animal assists is referred to as a partner. The partner’s disability may not be visible. If it is unclear whether an animal is a pet or a service animal, two questions may be asked:

1. Is the dog a service animal or a service animal in training required because of a disability? and
2. What disability-related work or task has the dog been or is being trained to perform?

You cannot require other proof that a dog is a service animal or service animal in training. A service animal in training may not be a puppy. Others, including faculty and staff, cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.

Contact the Disability Resource Center or the Office of Compliance if you have questions or concerns regarding a particular situation.

Faculty, staff and students should know the following about service animals:

• A service animal does not have to be licensed or certified by a state or local government or a training program.
• Service animals are allowed to accompany the partner at all times and everywhere on campus, except where service animals are specifically prohibited including but not limited to medical, dental, research, clinical etc. areas which require a sterile environment. The courts have upheld the rights of service animal partners to take service animals into food service locations.
• Do not pet a service animal without first asking permission; touching the animal might distract it from its work.
• Speak first to the partner.
• Do not deliberately startle a service animal.
• Do not feed a service animal.
• Do not separate or attempt to separate a partner from their service animal.
• In case of an emergency, every effort should be made to keep the animal with its partner. The following are requirements of service animals and their partners:
  • The animal cannot pose a direct threat to the health and safety of persons on the university campus. Service dogs and service dogs in training must be housebroken and may not fundamentally alter the nature of UNLV’s services, programs, or activities. A service dog or service dog in training may be removed and/or excluded from the UNLV campus (or any area thereon) on a temporary and/or permanent basis if it is out of control, including but not limited to barking, and the partner does not take effective action to control it. Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service dog or a person accompanied by a service dog in training are subject to the same conditions and limitations that apply to persons who are not so disabled and accompanied.
  • Local ordinances regarding animals apply to service animals, including requirements for immunization, licensing, noise, restraint, and at-large animals. Dogs must wear a license tag and a current rabies vaccination tag.
  • The partner must be in full control of the animal at all times. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the partner must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
  • The partner is responsible for cleaning up the animal’s feces. The partner should always carry equipment and bags sufficient to clean up and properly dispose of the animal’s feces. Partners who are not physically able to pick up and dispose of feces are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for assistance. The university is not responsible for these services.
  • In keeping with appropriate university policies and procedures, the partner may be charged for damages caused by the partner or the service animal.
  • Disability Resources and Residential Life must be consulted if a student with a disability plans to have a service animal in residence within university housing.
  • An emotional support animal that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability, confirmed by the Disability Resource Center, is allowed only in university housing, as noted in the UNLV Office of Housing and Residential Life Emotional Support Animal Policy.

Student Affairs: 702-895-0866
For additional information concerning the use of a service animal or other accommodations and services, contact the Disability Resource Center at 702-895-0866.

Office of Compliance: 702-895-0415

Service Animal: The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued Final Rules amending Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to define “service animal” as any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.

The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to:

• assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks,
• alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds,
• providing non-violent protection (excluding attack dogs, dogs with traditional “protection training” and/or a dog’s presence, that by itself, provides a crime deterrent effect) or rescue work,
• pulling a wheelchair,
• assisting an individual during a seizure,
• alerting individuals to the presence of allergens,
• retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone,
• providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and
• helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.

Service Animal in Training: A service animal in training means a dog that is being trained as a service animal. Individuals qualified to train service animals to perform a specific task for a specific individual are afforded the same rights as those individuals who require the assistance of a Service Animal.

Pet: An animal kept for ordinary use and companionship.  A pet is not considered a service animal, a service animal in training, or an emotional support animal.  Residents are not permitted to keep pets, other than fish, on university property or in university housing.

Emotional Support Animal: An animal that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. An emotional support animal is only allowed in university housing.