Service Animals
Students with service animals are welcome in all living and learning environments at Harvard. A service animal is a dog (or miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective means.
Students with service animals should register with the DAO and complete a service/assistance animal agreement form, including emergency contact information.
Submit up to date vaccination records and photograph of service animal to DAO.
Some environments such as laboratories, athletic facilities, and clinical settings may pose safety risks to service animals. Please consult with DAO to discuss these concerns.
Assistance Animals
An Assistance animal (also sometimes referred to as emotional support, therapy, or comfort animals), is defined by the Fair Housing Act as an animal that provides emotional support or comfort that alleviates one or more symptoms of a person’s disability and is necessary for an individual’s equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing.
An assistance animal does not need to be trained or certified as a service animal and may be an animal other than a dog. An assistance animal is not a pet and is required for a disability. Typically, only one animal will be approved as a reasonable accommodation.
Students are not permitted to have animals living in residence before fully completing all steps of the process with DAO. This includes while their application is pending.
Steps for Assistance Animal Review
- Complete DAO application in AIM
- Submit supplemental documentation. This form will guide your clinician through answering our specific questions.
- Complete Access Meeting with DAO (if approved, continue to steps 4-7)
- Submit animal’s up to date vaccination records and photograph to DAO
- Complete a meeting with House Administrator/First Year Dean and DAO
- Review and sign service/assistance animal agreement form, including emergency contact information
- Move your animal in on the agreed-upon date
If approved by DAO, assistance animals are allowed to reside only in the student’s bedroom in their residence. They are not permitted in other campus locations, such as classrooms, libraries, or dining halls.
DAO does not work with shelters, rescues, or pet adoption facilities to verify the need or lodging plan for the animal.
Assistance Animals that are too young to be vaccinated or completely housebroken (if applicable) are not approved to live in residence.
Animal allergies
If you have a documented allergy or health condition and are concerned about being in proximity to service or assistance animals, please register with the DAO to discuss accommodations. Academic and residential buildings cannot guarantee animal-free floors or spaces, but reasonable measures can be explored.