Scope:
This policy is applicable to all staff, faculty, students, contractors, visitors, and volunteers who access campus buildings, facilities, grounds, campuses, and property.
Policy Statement:
Subject to the Requirements section below, no animals shall be permitted on College Property, except as follows:
- Service Animals are permitted on College Property while performing their duties. Additional requirements may be applicable to Service Animals entering certain spaces, such as laboratories. Employees must submit an accommodation request to the Office of Human Resources to have a Service Animal at work.
- Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are permitted on College Property only in accordance with an individual accommodation approved by the College through an interactive process (Requesting an Accommodation | Ithaca College). For approval of an ESA, a qualified treatment provider must affirm that there is a therapeutic benefit. When approved ESAs are typically restricted to specific buildings and spaces.
- Therapy Animals, which are animals used for animal-assisted therapy by healthcare professionals, may be permitted within the College’s Office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for therapeutic purposes and under the care of a CAPS healthcare professional. Therapy animals must be trained for animal assisted therapy through the American Kennel Club (AKC) or a national animal therapy organization.
- Research Animals are permitted in College laboratories for approved research and teaching purposes only, and only in accordance with College-approved laboratory standards and procedures.
- Pets, as defined in this policy, may be brought onto College Property for temporary visits, but are not permitted in campus buildings, other indoor spaces, athletic/intramural fields, or research areas. Fish in bowls and aquariums with less than a 10-gallon capacity may be kept in residence hall rooms.
- Program Animals are permitted for law enforcement services and special programs or events (such as “therapy animal events”), but only within the limits of an advance written approval from a vice president of the College. For more information about obtaining approval for an event, see the Animals on Ithaca College Properties Guidelines.
Definitions:
Attended and Restrained: In the immediate vicinity of an owner or handler, and either on a leash of six feet or shorter, in a cage, or, in the case of a certified Service Animal, voice-controlled. To be considered attended, an animal may not be left fastened to a stationary object.
Emotional Support Animal (ESA): Emotional support animals (ESA) provide therapeutic benefits that alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of an individual’s disability, or emotional support to a disabled individual who has a disability-related need for such support.
Pets: Animals commonly kept in households like a dog, cat, small bird, rabbit, hamster, gerbil, other rodent, fish, turtle, or other small, domesticated animal that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial or therapeutic purposes. For purposes of this document, reptiles (other than turtles), barnyard animals, and other non-domesticated animals are examples of animals that are not considered common household animals.
Service Animals: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability.
Requirements:
Under no circumstances may an individual bring any animals, including service animals or any other permitted animals, on to College Property if such animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, if its continued presence would fundamentally alter the nature of the College’s programs, or if such animal is deemed unreasonably disruptive.
Any pet or other animal brought onto College Property must be licensed and fully vaccinated in accordance with Tompkins County regulations, with the burden of proof on the owner.
Any pet or other animal brought onto College Property, must be Attended and Restrained at all times.
Fecal matter deposited by any pet or other animal brought onto College Property must be removed immediately and disposed of properly by the handler. The burden is on the animal handler to arrange for removal of fecal matter if they are personally unable to perform the task.
Animal owners and handlers are financially responsible for any damage caused by their pets and animals.
Violations:
To report a violation, any individual may contact the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management or call 911 from a campus telephone.
Animals in violation of the requirements in this policy that are brought onto College Property by any individual are subject to immediate and possibly permanent removal or exclusion from College Property. Any incidents posing a threat to health, safety, or well-being of people or property of such nature will be documented for everyone’s protection by the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management.
Violations of this policy by visitors, licensees, and independent contractors may result in penalties up to and including a fine for property damage, possible criminal prosecution, or permanent barring from College Property.
Violations of this policy by College employees, or affiliates may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Violations of this policy by College students may result in a student conduct referral with disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion.
Last Updated: June 18, 2025