Individuals accompanied by service animals are welcome on campus and shall be treated with dignity and respect. 

This guide provides general information to promote understanding of service animals and protocol when service animals attend campus.

What is a service animal? 

A service animal is an animal used by a person with a disability for disability-related reasons. A service animal may be recognized in either of the following ways:

  1. It is readily identifiable as being used by a person with a disability (for example, by wearing a vest or harness); or
  2. A regulated health professional has confirmed that the person requires the animal for disability-related reasons.

Who requires animal service and what services are performed? 

Service animals assist persons with various disabilities or conditions, such as visual impairment, hard of hearing/deaf, diabetes, seizure disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and physical or mental health disabilities.

Service animals provide various types of assistance (e.g., retrieving items, emotional coping, guidance with navigating environments, etc.).

Acceptable and unacceptable practice for handler/service animal interactions on campus:

  • Interact with the handler, not the service animal;
  • Do NOT ask that the animal be left elsewhere, pet the animal (without the handler’s permission), call the animal, feed the animal or disturb a resting animal;
  • Do NOT inquire about a handler’s disability.

Fanshawe College’s expectations of handlers and service animals: 

  • Handlers are solely responsible for the control and care of their service animal;
  • Service animals are expected to behave in a safe and non-disruptive manner;
  • Handlers are required to comply with Fanshawe College’s Service Animal Guidelines.

Additional Information 

Please contact Counselling and Accessibility Services at 519-452-4282 or counselling@fanshawec.ca with any questions regarding service animals on campus.