The North Colonie Central School District supports the use of “social service dogs” by teachers or other qualified school personnel for the benefit of the School District’s students subject to the terms and conditions of this policy. For the purposes of this policy, a social service dog is a dog that has been individually trained and certified to work with its owner to provide emotional support, well-being, comfort or companionship to students. For the purposes of this policy, social service dogs are not “service animals” as that term is used in the American with Disabilities Act or other law, and this policy is not intended to apply to the use of service animals at the School District’s schools or workplace.
The requirements set forth below must be satisfied before a social service dog will be allowed onto the School District’s property, and must also be complied with at all times the social service dog is on the School District’s property.
Requests
Any teacher or other qualified school personnel who wishes to bring a social service dog onto School District property must submit a written request to do so to the School District’s Superintendent of Schools. At a minimum, the request must set forth detailed information about the social service dog, the owner of the social service dog (the “Owner”), the reason why the request to bring the social service dog onto School District property is being made, the intended use of the social service dog, the times when the social service dog will be on School District property, the locations where the social service dog will be on School District property, and a plan for feeding and meeting the biological needs of the social service dog while on School District property. All requests will be reviewed by and subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Schools in the Superintendent’s sole discretion. The Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee will notify the teacher or other qualified school personnel making the request in writing as to whether the social service dog will be permitted onto the School District’s property and the scope and duration of that approval. A social service dog may not come onto School District property until written approval has been received from the Superintendent of Schools and all of the requirements of this policy have been met. In addition, approval will not be granted for a period beyond the end of the school year in which the request is made, and a new request will be required to be submitted each school year and for each social service dog that is requested to come onto School District property.
Training and Certification
Before a social service dog is allowed onto School District property pursuant to this policy, the Owner must obtain and submit to the School District a valid and current American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen or Therapy Dogs International certification for the social service dog. The certification must remain current at all times that the social service dog is present on the School District’s property.
Health, Vaccination and Licensure
Before a social service dog is allowed onto School District property pursuant to this policy, the Owner must present written proof to the Superintendent of Schools from the dog’s licensed veterinarian that is satisfactory to the Superintendent of Schools in his or her sole discretion that the dog is in good health and has been vaccinated and immunized in accordance with all applicable laws and good practices. The Owner must also submit proof of current licensure of the social service dog from the local governmental licensing authority.
Characteristics of Social Service Dogs
All social service dogs must be friendly, patient, confident, at ease in all situations and gentle. Social service dogs must enjoy human contact and be content to be petted and handled by unfamiliar people. All social service dogs must also (i) be clean, well-groomed, free from all parasites and not have an offensive odor; (ii) be thoroughly trained so as to not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations; (iii) refrain from vocalizing unnecessarily; (iv) refrain from showing any aggression towards people or other animals; (v) not seek attention from students or School District personnel; (vi) not solicit, beg for or steal food or other items from students or School District personnel; (vii) not pose any threat to the health or safety of any person on the School District’s property; (viii) not interfere with the educational process of any student in any way and (ix) not interfere with the work performance of any employee in any way.
Control, Supervision and Care
The Owner of any social service dog allowed onto the School District’s property pursuant to this policy shall be solely responsible at all times for the supervision and care of the social service dog, including all feeding, exercising, and clean-up of the social service dog. The School District shall not be responsible for providing any supervision, care or assistance to a social service dog at any time or in any way. In addition, the dog must be under the control of the dog’s Owner through the use of a leash or other tether at all times while on the School District’s property unless the use of a leash or other
tether would interfere with the dog’s safe and effective performance of its work or tasks.
Identification
Any social service dog allowed onto the School District’s property pursuant to this policy must wear appropriate identification at all times while on School District property, including identification as a social service dog.
Disruption of School Activities
Any social service dog allowed onto the School District’s property pursuant to this policy must not disrupt or interfere with the educational process of any School District’s student or the work performance of any School District employee in any way.
Authorized Area(s)
The Owner shall only allow the social service dog to be in areas of the School District buildings or property that are expressly authorized and approved by the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee.
Liability and Insurance
The Owner of a social service dog allowed onto the School District’s property pursuant to this policy shall be solely responsible and liable for any personal injury or property damage caused by the social service dog. Prior to any social service dog being allowed onto the School District’s property pursuant to this policy, the Owner must submit proof to the Superintendent of Schools that general liability insurance coverage in amounts and in a form acceptable to the Superintendent are in place to defend, indemnify and hold the School District and its personnel harmless from and against any claims or liability for personal injury or property damage caused by the social service dog. Such insurance coverages shall remain in place at all times while the social service dog is on the School District’s property.
Exclusion or Removal from School
A social service dog may be removed and/or excluded from School District property at any time if the Superintendent of Schools, or the Superintendent’s designee, determines at any time in his or her sole discretion that:
- the Owner does not have adequate control over the social service dog;
- the social service dog presents a threat to the health or safety of any individual at the School District;
- the social service dog has interfered with or may interfere with the educational process of any student or the work performance of any employee at the School District in any way; or
- any of the provisions of this policy have been violated or not complied with.
In the event of such a determination, the Owner shall be required to immediately remove the social service dog from the School District’s property.
Adopted: March 25, 2019