Faculty Handbook
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VIII. H. ANIMALS
Animal policy
I. Introduction
All members of the Reed College community are responsible for the conduct and condition of the animal(s) they own. All members of the Reed College community and all visitors to the campus are bound by this policy and the applicable Multnomah County Code (Chapter 13: Animal Services).
The purpose of this policy is to provide a set of reasonable guidelines for acceptable behavior of any animal that visits the Reed College campus and to outline repercussions that may follow any deviations from these guidelines. It is also intended to serve as a clarification of the obligations of animal owners to the Reed community and the animals they are responsible for.
This policy pertains to the internal governance of the Reed College community and to the governance of non-human animals on Reed property. Its provisions shall be considered binding for all community members, which includes staff, faculty, and students of the College, as well as visitors to campus.
Reed College is committed to compliance with state, federal and local laws regarding individuals with disabilities and making reasonable modifications to its rules, policies and practices as required by law to afford persons with disabilities equal opportunity access to its programs, services and activities. This policy should not be construed to abridge or supersede any rights or responsibilities put forth in any local, state, or federal laws, including but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, or the Fair Housing Act. This policy is intended to supplement processes and procedures developed by Disability Support Services, Human Resources and Community Safety for the purpose of implementing and coordinating the reasonable accommodation process for students, faculty, staff and visitors to the Reed campus.
Students who seek reasonable accommodation for a disability, including bringing Service or Support Animals to campus or College housing should contact Disability Support Services at disability-services@reed.edu or 503-517-7921 for additional information or to report concerns about disability discrimination or harassment.
Faculty or staff who seek reasonable accommodation for a disability, including bringing Service or Support Animals to campus should contact Human Resources at HR@reed.edu or 503-777-7775 for additional information or to report concerns.
Visitors bringing Service or Support Animals to campus may contact the Office of Community Safety at 503-517-5355 for additional information or to report concerns.
Further, this policy shall annul and supersede any other animal policies currently in existence at Reed College, with the exception of any applicable Reed College Housing Contract, with which the provisions of this policy are intended to be consistent. Finally, this policy is not intended to govern the use of animals in research or teaching.
II. Definitions
a. Handler: A handler is a person that assumes responsibility for an animal. This includes but is not limited to a pet-sitter or dog walker.
b. Owner: The person ultimately responsible for the licensing, behavior, actions, medical care, shelter, and general health of their animal.
c. Service Animal: A service animal is defined by the American with Disabilities Act to be limited to certain species, and individually trained to do 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 hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. For the purposes of this policy, the definition of a service animal shall remain consistent with the ADA definition, as published on the ADA website (http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm). In addition, “Service Animal” shall also mean trained animals used by government agencies in police and rescue work (Multnomah County Code, 13.002 Definitions).
Service Animals are permitted to accompany persons with disabilities in all areas of Reed’s facilities, including in college Housing, where students, members of the public and other participants in services, programs and activities are allowed. Service Animals should be controlled with a leash, harness, voice, signals or other effective means.
d. Support Animal: Support Animals include emotional support animals or therapy animals that mitigate one or more identified symptoms or effects associated with a handler’s or owner’s disability by providing emotional support, well-being or comfort. Unlike Service Animals, a Support Animal does NOT need to be trained to perform disability-specific work or tasks, and may include species other than dogs. Support Animals may be qualified by a letter from a licensed health care provider.
Support Animals are generally not permitted to accompany persons with disabilities in all public areas but may reside in College housing when necessary to afford a student with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy College housing. Further, Support Animals are generally not allowed in other areas where animals are prohibited but persons with disabilities may request approval from Disability Services or Human Resources to have their Support Animal accompany them in areas otherwise restricted from animals. Those requests will be made on a case-by-case, individualized basis consistent with applicable laws.
e. Wildlife: Wildlife is any undomesticated, free-ranging vertebrate. This includes native and non-native animals, as well as any unlicensed feral domestic cats.
f. Pet: Any animal owned and/or handled by a person that is not specifically designated as a Service or Support Animal, and is not considered Wildlife. For purposes of this policy, the term “pet” is considered synonymous with Companion Animal.
III. Policy
1. All animals must be restrained by a leash or other means appropriate to the animal, and supervised and controlled by a handler or owner at all times while on the Reed College campus, with the following exceptions:
A. Off-Leash Area(s): The Director of Community Safety and the Director of Facilities (or designee(s)) may jointly designate one or more outdoor areas of campus where dogs may be allowed off-leash.
B. Private offices and defined non-public work spaces are designated as Off-Leash Areas, provided the animal is either physically restrained from leaving the defined space, or remains within the defined space by virtue of training.
C. Animals may be secured outdoors without supervision for short reasonable periods of time (i.e. less than 20 minutes) given that they are not placed at risk, and are not disturbing, threatening, or hindering any community member or function. This permission does not extend to indoor atriums/entryways such as the GCC atrium or the inner ETC entryway.
2. Except as listed in 1a and 1b of this policy, animals are generally not permitted to be off-leash or otherwise unrestrained within any common use area of any Reed College facility. Examples include, but are not limited to, building lobbies, hallways, atriums, auditoriums, and similar areas used as common spaces or designed as transit paths through facilities.
3. All animals, except those designated as Service Animals and in some cases Support Animals, are prohibited in certain locations on campus:
A. Areas designated for food service (e.g., Commons, Cafes, conference rooms when food is served, tents and other defined outdoor areas when food is served, etc.)
B. IRCs
C. Library (excluding the Library Lobby)
D. Sports Center
E. Health & Counseling Center
F. Kaul Auditorium
G. Theaters, Dance Studios, and other interior performance spaces. Animals participating in performances may be permitted in these spaces at the discretion of the senior administrator overseeing the area.
H. Unless explicit permission is obtained from the presiding professor, Companion Animals are assumed not permitted in classrooms during class.
I. Any other area of campus where the senior administrator overseeing the area determines that the presence of animals should be prohibited. In those cases, the relevant senior administrator is responsible for communicating the prohibition of animals to the community.
4. The Student Union committee shall set a specific animal policy for the Student Union Bylaws consistent with the guidelines set in this policy.
5. No dogs in heat are permitted on the Reed Campus. Owners are highly encouraged to spay/neuter their animals; altered pets are eligible for reduced license fees in Multnomah County (Resolution 2010-098).
6. Animals, when applicable, must be registered with Multnomah County and display the appropriate license tag while on campus. Multnomah County requires all dogs and cats to be vaccinated for Rabies in order to be licensed.
7. No animal may threaten or attack any member of the Reed community or any other person while on the Reed Campus.
8. Animals are not permitted to damage the property of Reed College or the property of any member of the Reed community. Any damage to Reed College property may be charged to the animal owner’s business account. The owner is liable for all damage incurred by their animal regardless of the handler at the time. If the owner does not have a business account, the owner will be notified of damages. The animal may be excluded from campus until the damages are paid or a mutually agreeable resolution is reached.
9. Animals must not prevent any individual from accessing resources on the Reed campus.
10. Animal handlers are responsible for cleaning up after animals in their charge.
11. Any animal living in on-campus housing is subject to the guidelines put forth in this policy as well as by Residence Life’s Housing Contract.
12. Owners responsible for animals that show signs of active neglect, abandonment, or abuse may be in violation of this policy by virtue of their animal’s condition. This includes the guidelines set by Multnomah County Code 13.300 for animals confined in motor vehicles.
13. Community members must not abuse, poison, hunt, or otherwise intentionally harm (except in self-defense) wildlife, licensed, or unlicensed animals on the Reed College campus regardless of whether or not the animal(s) in question were found on campus. Similarly, animals found on the Reed College campus are extended this protection even if removed from the physical campus. This excludes any humane pest-control measures deemed absolutely necessary by the Director of Facilities (or designee).
IV. Annual Notification
At the beginning of each academic year, the Office of Community Safety will distribute a copy of this policy, and any associated implementation guidelines, to all students, faculty, and staff.
The Director of Community Safety (or designee) is responsible for overseeing implementation of all provisions of this policy and may develop and implement guidelines necessary to ensure effective application of the policy. Implementation guidelines shall be reviewed and approved by the Vice President/Treasurer or designee in their role supervising all facilities and grounds. Failure to comply with the approved implementation guidelines constitutes a violation of this policy.
V. Off-Leash Areas
1. Pursuant to the Animal Policy, 1.a, Reed community members may have animals off-leash in designated off-leash areas. The Director of Community Safety and the Director of Facilities (or designee(s)) may determine appropriate areas at the beginning of each academic year and make the location of these areas available to the community.
2. The following are guidelines for Off-Leash Areas:
A. Animals off leash are not permitted immediately adjacent to any facility and should be kept off of sidewalks, parking areas, and other improved or hardscape surfaces.
B. Animals may not dig or otherwise cause damage to the area.
C. Animals may not aggressively chase or otherwise disturb other animals.
D. Handlers are responsible for removing any animal waste.
E. Off-leash areas will be designated with proper signage.
F. Off-leash areas may be temporarily suspended for special events (such as a performance, lecture, etc.). The community must be notified ten (10) working days prior to the scheduled event.
VI. Response to Violations
Sanctions typically will be progressive and are intended to protect the community and the animal while preserving the ability of people to bring animals to campus. The Office of Community Safety shall maintain a list of possible sanctions for violations of this policy within the approved implementation guidelines outlined below. The Director of Community Safety (or designee) will routinely address violations of this policy, which may result in sanctions for the animal’s owner, as well as restrictions for the animal in question.
The Director of Community Safety (or designee) may also enforce sanctions imposed upon the animal owner by the Judicial Board, Human Resources, or other relevant bodies. If a violation is particularly grave or repetitive, the Director of Community Safety (or designee) may choose to apply more severe sanctions and/or involve local animal control authorities, law enforcement, or any other appropriate body. The Director of Community Safety (or designee) may opt to pursue resolution through the Honor Process if a policy violation may also be an Honor Principle violation, or refer the matter to Human Resources, when appropriate. Likewise, if any community member feels that this policy was violated directly or indirectly, they may individually pursue resolution through the Honor Process, by contacting Human Resources in the case of faculty or staff owners/handlers, or through local law enforcement.
1. Sanctioning Guidelines
The following are guidelines for imposing sanctions based on the number and nature of confirmed complaints that do NOT involve an immediate threat (i.e. attack or injury) posed by the animal to another animal or person. The Director of Community Safety (or designee) may also opt to involve Multnomah County Animal Control regardless of the number of complaints. The notification of sanctions will include a copy of this policy and an explanation of the likely escalation of sanctions for future violations.
• First complaint: written warning from the Director of Community Safety to animal owner.
• Second complaint: written Final Warning from the Director of Community Safety to the animal owner, with a copy also sent to the Vice President/Treasurer and the Vice President who oversees the community member (if applicable).
• Third Complaint: based on the nature of the incident, sanctions may be imposed immediately upon the animal in question, including requiring that the animal be on-leash, excluding the animal from specific areas, or excluding the animal from campus for a defined period of time from the date the investigation is complete. The length of exclusion will typically range from 30 days to 12 months. Depending on the nature of the incident, the Director of Community Safety may also refer the animal owner to the Judicial Board, Human Resources, or other appropriate supervisory bodies.
• Fourth Complaint: a fourth complaint may result in a long-term exclusion (i.e., in excess of 12 months) or permanent exclusion of the animal from the Reed College campus and referral of the animal owner to the Judicial Board, Human Resources, or other appropriate supervisory body.
2. Immediate Threats to Safety
Any animal that poses an immediate threat to the safety of community members or other animals may be removed immediately from the Reed College campus without prior notification of the owner. The Office of Community Safety may enforce any such exclusion until the Vice President/Treasurer and/or an appropriate judicial body review the exclusion, or until the animal no longer poses a threat to members of the community. The owner may also be subject to sanctioning as outlined above in Section VI.
Additionally, the Office of Community Safety may take reasonable actions to address animals that show verifiable signs of neglect, or otherwise grave mistreatment. This may include taking control of the animal and contacting Animal Control. The animal owner may also be subject to sanctioning outlined above in Section VI.
If stray animals are found on campus, the Office of Community Safety shall notify the community to the best of its ability, giving a sufficient description in order to aid identification of the owner. If no owner is located after sufficient opportunity is given for identification of an owner, the animal will be surrendered to Animal Control.
No on-campus facilities are permitted to house or care for injured/orphaned wildlife longer than necessary to arrange transport. An attempt to permanently keep, care for, or nurse a wild animal (even with the intention of later release) constitutes a violation of this policy. Certified wildlife rehabilitation centers, such as the Audubon Society, are equipped to legally care for injured wildlife. Community members are urged to contact a similarly licensed Wildlife Rehabilitation facility or Multnomah County Animal Control for information on how to temporarily care for and transport an injured/orphaned wild animal.
3. Appeals of Sanctions
Anyone subject to sanctions imposed outside the Honor Process as described in section VI.1 may appeal the sanctions within five business days following notification of sanctions. Appeals should be submitted in writing to the Vice President/Treasurer. The Vice President/Treasurer may decline to hear an appeal, or may respond at his/her discretion. Students may also choose to solicit a hearing from the Judicial Board to appeal any sanction upheld by Vice President/Treasurer. Faculty members should submit an appeal in writing to the Dean of Faculty; the Dean of Faculty will then reconsider the case under Section F of the Rules of Procedure, as if a formal complaint has been lodged against the faculty member for violation of the Animal Policy.