Policy on Animals in the Library

No animals are allowed in the Dartmouth College Library buildings with the exception of service animals and service animal trainees.

The library may exclude a service animal from the facility if that animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or when its behavior creates a disruption to activities going on around it.

Definition of a service animal: "Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities-such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets."

If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.

[Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, ADA Business Brief: Service Animals, April 2002.]

Please contact any library circulation desk if you have questions regarding this policy.