{"id":19481,"date":"2025-09-04T12:39:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T12:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glos.ac.uk\/information\/?post_type=ht_kb&p=19481"},"modified":"2025-09-22T12:26:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T12:26:08","slug":"assistance-dogs-policy","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/www.glos.ac.uk\/information\/knowledge-base\/assistance-dogs-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Assistance Dogs policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. Introduction and Scope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The University of Gloucestershire is committed to providing an inclusive environment and recognises the importance of assistance dogs to enable disabled individuals to access educational settings, the workplace and halls of residence.\u00a0The University wishes to provide a welcoming and safe environment for assistance dogs, their owners, and the wider University community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This policy sets out which animals can be authorised; the conditions under which permission is given and what a member of the University community needs to do if they have a need to bring an assistance dog onto the campus or in halls of residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This policy applies throughout the whole University \u2013 to staff, students and to visitors, and is made publicly available to ensure that all assistance dog owners know their responsibilities. Prospective students are advised to contact the Disability Support Team at disability@glos.ac.uk<\/a> at the earliest opportunity to arrange a familiarisation visit. <\/strong>Staff are advised to talk to their line manager in the first instance and with the People Team who will set up a meeting regarding their assistance dog and any additional support that is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Policy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The policy of the University is that no animal shall be brought on-site or into campus buildings or halls of residence unless they are a specifically authorised assistance dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In assessing which animals can be authorised, the University will refer to information from the Equality Act 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission guide to assistance dogs and information available from Assistance Dogs International (ADI) (Appendix A<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not a legal requirement for assistance dogs to be trained by one of the organisations listed in Appendix A<\/a>. However, it is imperative that owners share information about the organisation that has supported them to train and register their animal to the level required, and be able to show that the level of training reached and the tasks their dog undertakes for them are appropriate for their dog to be considered an assistance dog (this will include the Public Access test which meets assistance dog standards). When owners can satisfy those requirements, they will be provided with access to all the University\u2019s premises, provided their owners follow the instructions and conditions as set out below in Appendix B<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University reserves the right to revoke permission to grant access to any dog when the owner is in breach of the guidelines laid out in this policy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Therapy and Emotional Support Animals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The University acknowledges that there is a rise in the use of animals to provide comfort to people with conditions such as mental ill health and autism spectrum conditions. However, these animals are not trained to carry out specific duties for a disabled person and therefore there is no legal requirement to permit them to university premises.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University will not authorise therapy animals or emotional support animals within campus buildings, or within its accommodation as all campus accommodation is shared. Students are encouraged to discuss their disability support needs with the Disability Support Team who may be able to offer them alternative reasonable adjustments for support during their studies (email: disability@glos.ac.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New and existing staff are encouraged to engage with their line manager in the first instance regarding any support that they require. The People Team can also help advise staff and managers. Staff in the Accommodation Team can also help advise on suitable alternative housing in the private sector should an animal need to be accommodated. Contacts for this team is as follows: housingsupport@glos.ac.uk<\/a> 01242 715322<\/a>.\u00a0 We also encourage students to look at local opportunities, such as volunteering at animal shelters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Exceptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There will be circumstances, such as specific events, where permission will be granted for animals that are not assistance dogs to be permitted on certain areas of the campuses (for example in the Sanctuary spaces and the Chapel) for a limited amount of time. In these circumstances, prior approval must be sought from the Health and Safety Manager, and a full risk assessment must be carried out. Warning must be given to those occupying the spaces involved (to enable time to check for phobias and allergy risks) and owners will need to agree to abide by the conditions set out below:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n