No-Animal Policy

August 2002
The Kelvin Smith Library promotes a respectful environment that is secure, clean, and quiet, where students, faculty, staff, and visitors can expect a space that is generally conducive to work and study.

• Animals are not permitted in the Library building, except for service animals* which are specifically exempted from this Policy.
• The Library's No-Animal Policy applies to all spaces in the building, including but not limited to the collections, offices, classrooms, hallways, and public spaces.
• Animals may not be left fastened to objects outside the Library while the owner/caretaker is inside the building.

Exempted Animals:

• Service animals,* while performing their duties (owners must properly dispose of their service animal's waste)
• On-Duty Police dogs

Failure to Comply:

• Campus Security is called if a problem arises with an animal. The County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) may be called to remove the animal.
• Restitution is required for any animal-related damage to Library property, facilities, or grounds and is the sole responsibility of the owner of the animal that caused the damage.

Why a No-Animal Policy? The Library is a shared space.

The Library must ensure the health and safety of all individuals within, preserve the integrity of the facility, property, and grounds, and support a healthful educational environment. Animals can pose a threat to the health and safety of individuals within the building; individuals with disabilities are at particular risk.

Often, others are allergic to animals, and even the most well cared for and best-behaved pet can harbor fleas, ticks, mites, or viruses. Overall, there are hygiene, health and medical considerations, issues of fear and safety, noise control, property damage, potential liability, general user expectations, and courtesy to others. Please ask someone else to watch your animal when you come to the Library.

Definitions:

*Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that an individual with a disability cannot perform for himself or herself. Service animal is defined in Title III of the American for Disabilities Act (ADA) (28 C.F.R. § 36.104) as:

• "any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to 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 with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items."

• "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual; a record of having such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. "

Other Case organizations may have varied building policies.
For more information about the Library's No-Animal Policy, please contact
Karen Oye, Head of Customer Services, Kelvin Smith Library (or 216-368-5309)