Buffalo State College recognizes the importance of 'service animals' as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and is committed to allowing individuals with disabilities the use of a Service Animal on campus to facilitate their full participation and equal access to the college’s programs and activities.
Buffalo State College also recognizes the importance of the broader category of 'assistance animals' under the Fair Housing Act that provides physical and/or emotional support to individuals with disabilities.
Service Animal: The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a 'service animal' as any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
If you will be utilizing a service dog on campus, please contact Student Accessibility Services so you can be informed of the rights and responsibilities as it relates to the use of a service dog. Service animals are subject to local dog licensing and registration requirements.
Assistance/Companion Animal: An assistance/companion animal (sometimes referred to as an emotional support animal) may differ from a service animal in that they have not been individually trained to perform a task. This type of animal provides emotional or psychiatric comfort to the handler in a residential setting and is protected under the Fair Housing Act. This animal does not have to be a dog, but must be reasonable, and the request supported by the appropriate documentation of a disability.
If you wish to utilize an assistance/companion animal in campus housing, please refer to the Buffalo State Assistance/Companion Animal Policy and Agreement for further details.
You will be asked to submit disability-related documentation to support your request.
Students may not bring an assistance/companion animal to campus without prior authorization.
If you are ready to proceed and apply for disability-related housing and/or disability-related animal accommodations, you may begin the process by completing the Student Information and Provider Authorization Form.
During the completion of this form you will be provided with a link to the Documentation of Disability Form to forward to your Medical or Mental Health Provider. Your provider will use that link to provide the documentation of disability for your disability-related housing and/or disability-related animal accommodation request.
Both the Student Information and Provider Information Form AND the Documentation of Disability Form must be completed before your application can be considered complete.
