The University reserves the right to restrict ESAs to dogs weighing no more than 25 pounds and accepts no responsibility for an animal's care, welfare, safety, or behavior, including, but not limited to, damages and injury caused by the animal.

The University may take reasonable efforts, pursuant to Kentucky law, to remove an animal confined in a vehicle or a room on University property, tethered to University property, or loose on University property when there appears to be imminent danger to the animal or others due to inadequate care or safety conditions. The handler shall be responsible for any associated costs, including damages caused by this action.

Animals referenced in this policy are only permitted on University property for as long as the handler is present on University property or resides in the University's residential areas that are designated for ESAs. Should the handler no longer be present or reside on University property, the animal will be considered abandoned, and the University expressly reserves the right to remove the animal from University property and to place it into the care of local authorities.

Service animals are defined as animals that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include, but are not limited to the following: guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, etc. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

The University permits the presence of Service Animals in Training (SAITs) on University property, pursuant to KRS 258.500. The handler of a SAIT must have in their personal possession identification verifying that they are a trainer of the SAIT. SAITs are permitted the same access to the University property and subject to the same rules and regulations as service animals.

Service animals are permitted on all areas of University Property and in University buildings and spaces otherwise open to the public.

Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a service animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability. When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Appropriate examples include:

“Is your Service Animal required because of a disability?”

"What work or task has your Service Animal been trained to perform?"

University community members cannot ask about the individual's disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the service animal, or request that the service animal demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.