University Health Center, University of Georgia

Service Animal Policy


Before visiting the University Health Center with a service animal, please review the following UHC policy. There are areas of the health center that are fully restricted, and other areas that are conditionally restricted and are only accessible on a case-by-case basis. Please refer to the UGA and UHC policies below for details. A link to the UGA policy is also provided.



Official Service Animal Tag

I. UHC will abide by applicable federal and state laws regarding Service Animals.

  1. The UGA "POLICY REGARDING SERVICE ANIMAL ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FACILITIES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND ACTIVITIES" shall be the guiding authority regarding Service Animals in the Health Center facility. This is hereafter referred to as the "UGA Policy."
  2. UHC employees may not take control of a Service Animal from a handler / partner.
  3. UHC employees are to minimize contact with Service Animals as well as their saliva, dander, urine, and feces.
  4. Unrestricted Areas: Fully-Trained Service Animals and Service Animals In Training are allowed in the following areas of the Health Center without restrictions:
    1. Administration Suite Offices
    2. Conference Rooms
    3. Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS)
    4. Grounds, Parking Lots, and Sidewalks
    5. Health Promotion, except Teaching Kitchen
    6. Information Technology Suite Offices
    7. Main Atrium at Front Entrance
    8. Vision Clinic Retail Space
  5. Restricted Areas: Fully-Trained Service Animals and Service Animals in Training are not allowed in the following areas of the Health Center:
    1. Basement, except during Tornado Warnings
    2. Food Service Kitchen
    3. Health Promotion Teaching Kitchen
    4. Mechanical Rooms, Data Closets, and Custodial Closets
  6. Conditionally Restricted Areas: Fully-Trained Service Animals and Service Animals in Training may be allowed in specified areas of the Health Center after a case-by-case assessment:
    1. Medical Services Clinical Spaces
      1. These include Allergy & Travel Clinic; Dental Clinic; Medical Clinics Blue, Gold, Green, Red; Physical Therapy Clinic; Vision Clinic (treatment areas); and Women's Clinic including adjacent waiting rooms, hallways, and examination and procedure rooms.
      2. A case-by-case assessment is to be conducted by the appropriate Clinic / Department Manager along with the treating clinician or Lead Physician or designee.
    2. Support Services Spaces
      1. These include Laboratory, Pharmacy, and Radiology including adjacent waiting rooms and hallways.
      2. A case-by-case assessment is to be conducted by the appropriate Department Manager, Assistant Manager, or designee.
    3. Service Animals may be allowed in Conditionally Restricted Areas after a case-by-case assessment based on the following criteria. For Service Animals to be allowed in Conditionally Restricted Areas criterion i OR criterion ii must be satisfied AND both criterion iii AND criterion iv must be satisfied.
      1. The patient requires assistance of the Service Animal; OR
      2. The evaluation and treatment of the patient requires the presence of the Service Animal; AND
      3. The Service Animal is not at risk of injury; AND
      4. UHC employees are not at risk of injury.
  7. Injuries to handlers / partners; UHC staff, patients, clients, visitors; or Service Animals must be reported to appropriate authorities and a UHC Incident Report completed and submitted.
  8. Handlers and Partners may be asked for credentials, including registration documentation for themselves and their animal, at any time and any location at UHC.

II. PROCEDURES

  1. The UHC Department of Communications will post and maintain information about Service Animals on the UHC web site to achieve two purposes:
    1. Communicate to patients, clients, and visitors information regarding restrictions on Service Animals at the Health Center.
    2. Inform patients, clients, and visitors when to leave Service Animals in the custody of another trained handler / partner.
  2. The UHC Department of Information Technology will post and maintain on Point & Click Open Communicator, the on-line medical appointment system, a link to the UHC web site for information regarding Service Animals.
  3. Upon encountering a patient with a Service Animal located in a Restricted Area, UHC employees are authorized to advise the patient that the animal is not allowed in the area and request that the animal be removed from the area and turned over to another trained handler / partner.
  4. In the event of an isolated incident of a Service Animal failing to control its bodily eliminations, the handler / partner is responsible for immediately and properly cleaning up and disposing of the waste, whether indoors or outdoors. UHC Staff should contact Environmental Services who will provide the handler / partner with appropriate cleaning supplies to facilitate the clean up.
  5. Practice proper hand hygiene after any inadvertent contact with an animal.
    1. Wash hands with soap and water, especially if hands are visibly soiled or contaminated with proteinaceous material.
    2. Use either soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hands are not visibly soiled or contaminated.
  6. Report injuries such as scratches, bites, or other breaks in the skin that are caused by a Service Animal.
    1. Treat the incident as an occupational injury.
    2. Report Service Animal bites to the Georgia Department of Community Health through usual channels. See Policy CG-6, Notifiable Disease Reporting, of the UHC Clinician Policy and Procedure Manual.
    3. Report Service Animal bites to UGA Police, the UGA Office of Equal Opportunity / Disability Compliance Officer, and the UGA Office of Disability Services.
  7. Report all adverse incidents involving a Service Animal.
    1. Report incidents to immediate supervisor, Medical Director, Safety Officer, and Manager of Environmental Services.
    2. Report incidents to the UGA Office of Equal Opportunity / Disability Compliance Officer and the UGA Office of Disability Services.
    3. Employee's supervisor must complete and submit a workers' compensatory claim.
    4. Complete and submit a UHC Incident Report form.

III. RESOURCES

  1. Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind - www.guidedog.org
  2. State of Georgia Office of Coordinator of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - www.ada.georgia.gov


Approved by UHC Admin Staff: August 2, 2011
Approved by UGA Disability Compliance Officer: August 17, 2011