Purdue University Northwest > PNW Accessibility Center > Accommodating Purdue Northwest Students > Service Animal and Support Animal Guidelines

Service Animal and Support Animal Guidelines

The Department of Housing and Residential Education at Purdue University Northwest acknowledges that service dogs (trained to perform tasks) and support animals (those which provide emotional support), will be allowed in housing under the following conditions:

  1. HRE requires documentation from the Purdue Access Center verifying the need for the accommodation, in addition to this signed document.
  2. Animals must be housebroken and able to live with others in a reasonable manner;
  3. All animal waste must be disposed of by the accommodated student regularly. If waste is not appropriately taken care of and/or reported (by smell or presence), the animal will be removed immediately.
  4. Animal must not pose a direct threat to the University Village and/or campus community.
  5. If a vaccination protocol exists for the requested animal, then those vaccinations must be acquired before the service animal will be allowed in the building.
  6. If complaints are registered against the service animal, the Director of Housing and Residential Education or their designee will resolve the complaints within 5 business days.
  7. If occupants of the apartment where the service animal lives and/or adjacent apartments complain of allergy issues, the resident receiving the accommodation may be asked to move to a different space within University Village in order to accommodate the service animal.
  8. Assistance animals must be under the control of the accommodated student at all times. Inside one’s apartment, this means that the animal is not infringing on others’ physical spaces if not actively desired. Outside an apartment, the animal must be confined in a cage or carrier or properly leashed at all times. If the animal is found running loose in the community or on campus, local animal control enforcement may be called to assist and appropriate measures taken at the discretion of the local animal enforcement. The animal must also be contained to the student’s bedroom when the student is not present.
  9. Animals may only be out of student’s bedroom and permitted in the common apartment space if agreed upon by all roommates.
  10. Assistance animals may not be left overnight in University Village without the owner present. It is not permitted to have the animal cared for by a third party, including roommates. If the resident must be absent from their room overnight, the animal must go with the owner.
  11. Any damage caused by the animal will be charged to the accommodated resident. An animal that causes excessive damage will not be allowed in housing.
  12. If the animal poses a noise disruption to the community, this animal will not be allowed in housing.
  13. The animal must be properly cared for at all times. If this does not happen, the animal will be removed immediately.
  14. If the animal is removed by the Department of Housing and Residential Education, the student shall still be held responsible for the remainder of their housing contract

Documentation Required

  • Most current vaccination record if the animal is a cat or a dog (Turned in at the Griffin Hall Front Desk)
  • Signed copy of Service Animal and Support Animal Guidelines (Turned into The Griffin Hall Front Desk)
  • Emergency Contact Information and signature of individual responsible for the animal in the event the owner is not able to care for the dog.
  • PNW Accessibility Center Access Plan

Criteria for Determining if Presence of the Assistance Animal is Reasonable

  1. The Department of Housing and Residential Education will consult with the PNW Accessibility Center in making a case-by-case determination of whether the presence of the Assistance Animal is reasonable.
  2. A request may be denied as unreasonable if the presence of the animal:
    1. Imposes an undue financial or administrative burden;
    2. Fundamentally alters Housing policies; and/or
    3. Poses a direct threat the health and safety of others, or would cause substantial property damage to the property of others, including University property;
    4. Would force a different resident to move from their assigned housing.