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ANIMALS AT SCHOOL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION - 6163.2

1. Animals Brought to School for Educational Purposes:

In accordance with Board policy, when any animal is brought into the classroom, the principal or designee shall provide written notification to all parents/guardians of students in the affected class. Parents/guardians will be asked to verify whether their child has any known allergies, asthma, or other health condition that may be affected by the animal’s presence.

If any child has a health condition that may be triggered or affected by the presence of an animal, the teacher shall not allow the animal in the classroom unless or until an alternative instructional activity is provided to students, as appropriate.

Students bringing animals to school (including service animals) must have the written consent of the parent/guardian and must first obtain the consent of the teacher and the appropriate site administrator. Reasonable accommodations shall be made for the service animals used by individuals with a disability.

All animals, with the exception of service animals, are prohibited on school transportation services. (Education Code 39839; 13 CCR 1216)

Animals under the control of public safety officials may have access to District property and program locations for enforcement, educational, and public relation purposes. Use of these animals is under the jurisdiction of the applicable local ordinance; or state and/or federal laws, codes and regulations. The provisions of this policy directly related to the safety of students, staff and visitors are to be brought to the attention of the officials by the site or principal designee; or the teacher in the absence of an administrator.

Animals brought to school by professional handlers for demonstration purposes must be under the control of the handlers at all times. All precautions should be taken to assure that the animals do not pose a threat to students, staff or visitors.

All animals brought to school must be:

  • In good physical condition
  • Vaccinated against transmittable diseases
  • Properly controlled and humanely housed in cages or containers specifically designed for the species

Students shall not bring poisonous or wild animals to school. If wildlife specimens are used in a science class, protective gloves and a face shield shall be worn by anyone handling these specimens and the animal’s saliva and neurological tissue shall be treated as infectious.

Every reasonable precaution shall be taken to ensure that animals are not teased, abused, mistreated, tormented, or in any manner made to suffer by any person or by any means.

Animals brought to school by students with permission from the school administration shall be taken home the same day as they are brought to school.
With the consent of the principal or designee, animals may remain at school longer under the following conditions:

  • The animal shall remain in the classroom only for the number of days needed to achieve the educational goal.
  • The teacher shall provide a plan for the proper care, sanitation, feeding and handling of the animal.
  • The teacher shall be responsible for the animal’s care in the event of any school closure and may allow students to take class pets home over weekends with their parents’ or guardians’ permission.
  • The teacher shall be familiar with any potential dangers caused by the animal and shall give special consideration to any students who have allergies to certain animals.

2. Administration Regulations for Service Animals:
A handler/partner has the right to be accompanied on school property or at school sponsored programs or activities by a service animal specially trained for an individual with a disability. The principal or designee may identify areas of the affected facility that are unsuitable for the service animal so that the handler can refrain from taking the animal to these locations. Otherwise, the service animal will be allowed to accompany the handler at all times.

Definition of Service Animal: A service animal is any animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Examples of work or tasks performed by service animals include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are visually-impaired with navigation and other tasks, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, and helping individuals with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.

However, prior to receiving permission from the principal or designee to bring a service animal on school property or to a school-sponsored program or activity, the handler/partner of the service animal shall do the following:

a. Provide information to the principal or designee establishing the individualized training of the service animal, including a description of the task(s) the service animal performs for the individual.

  • Public entities are prohibited from asking an individual about the nature or extent of his or her disability or requiring documentation that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. A public entity may ask:
    • Whether the animal is required because of a disability
    • What work or task the animal has been trained to perform, except when “it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.”
  1. Provide information to the principal or designee establishing that the student has received proper individualized training to handle, control, and supervise the service animal.
  2. Ensure the service animal is properly harnessed or on a leash at all times and wears an identification tag that identifies the animal as a service animal.
  3.  Ensure that the service animal is in good health and is current on all required vaccinations. Provide documentation to the principal or designee of current vaccinations.
  4. Complete and sign a release of liability form which shall release the district from any and all liability for damage to persons, premises, or facilities caused by the service animal. If the handler/partner is a minor or under the age of eighteen (18) years old, the parent/guardian shall complete and sign the release of liability form.
  5. Be responsible for the care, cleanliness and conduct of the service animal at all times. The service animal shall be under the handler/partner’s control at all times. The handler/partner must always carry equipment sufficient to clean up the animal’s waste, immediately remove the waste, and be responsible for the proper disposal of the animal’s waste. The principal/designee will identify area(s) on facility where animal may eliminate waste.
  6. If the handler/partner fails to satisfy any of the above conditions, the principal or designee shall not permit the service animal to be on school property or at school-sponsored programs or activities.
  7. If the principal or designee grants permission to the handler/partner to bring the service animal on school property or to school-sponsored activities, the handler/partner shall continue to be subject to the conditions stated above. Should the handler/partner fail to abide by these conditions, the handler/partner shall be required to remove the service animal immediately and not bring the service animal back on school property until he or she can demonstrate that all conditions are met.
  8. For special education students (i.e. those students qualifying for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams may consider whether or not a service animal (meeting the definition above) is required to meet a particular student’s unique needs. Should such a service animal be found to be required by an IEP team, conditions for the use of such a service animal should be referenced in the IEP document. Similarly, should a service animal be included in a student’s Section 504 Plan, the conditions for the use of such a service animal should be referenced in the Plan document.

Nothing shall preclude the principal or designee, upon receiving a request from or on behalf of a student with a disability to bring a service animal on school property or to school-sponsored programs and/or activities, from convening a Section 504 or IEP team meeting to further clarify the student’s need for additional support in the classroom.

The service animal shall not exhibit aggressive behavior toward staff, students or any other individuals, may not otherwise pose a direct threat to the health and/or safety of others, and may not be disruptive to the educational environment. The principal or designee shall make a reasonable judgment that is based on available objective information regarding whether the service animal presents an unacceptable risk or threat to others. In making this determination, the principal or designee may consider factors such as, but not limited to, the animal’s breeding, training, and propensity for harmful or frightening interactions with children or other reasonable concerns attributed to that particular type of animal as determined by those knowledgeable about such animals.
The District assumes no responsibility for any service animal brought on school property or to school-sponsored programs or activities. The use of service animals must comply with all relevant federal and state laws.

3. Presence of Animals on School Grounds
Other than for the purposes outlined in Sections 1 and 2 above (and with all the requirements met therein), no animals – including pets – may be brought on to school grounds by any individual at any time. This regulation applies regardless of whether school is currently in session.
Conditions requiring removal of an animal from school premises:

  • Injury: Any animal that causes injury to staff or students must be immediately isolated and removed from the school premises until the situation is resolved. An Injury Report must be completed and the appropriate medical care must be administered.
  • Health Issue: If a student or staff member has an allergic reaction or other health problem because of the presence of an animal, the animal must be immediately removed from the classrooms/workspace of the affected individual and removed from school premises until the situation is resolved.
  • Aggression: Any animal that behaves aggressively must be immediately isolated and removed from the school premises.

LEGAL REFERENCE:
EDUCATION CODE
Section 200 Education Equity
Section 233.5 Instruction in kindness to pets and humane treatment of living creatures
Section 32262 Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act
Section 39839 Transportation of guide dogs, signal dogs, service dogs
Section 44806 Instruction in kindness to pets and humane treatment of living creatures
Section 49350(a) Safe School campuses
Section 51202 Instruction in personal and public health and safety
Section 51540 Safe and humane treatment of animals at school

Adopted: October 7, 2014

Form 6163.2