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IMGG - Therapy Dogs

District Seal

Purpose

The Board supports the pre-approved use of therapy dogs for specific, purposeful, utilization in support of counseling activities by qualified school or contracted personnel ("Owner" or “Handler”) for the direct benefit of its students, subject to the conditions of this policy.

Authority

The Board may permit handlers to use therapy dogs on district property (including building interiors) upon request, submission, and administrative approval of required documentation, and approval by the Director of Student Services in accordance with this policy. No utilization of therapy dogs is permitted without completion of the identification process as defined above.

Definition

A therapy dog is an individually trained and certified dog for the explicit purpose of working with its “Owner / Handler” to provide emotional support, comfort, therapeutic benefits, or emotional well-being to school district students. Therapy dogs are not "service animals," as the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) utilizes that term under the provisions of Section 504 and accompanying policy and procedure.  Approval of the use of a therapy dog on district property is entirely within the discretion of the administration, and not considered a required reasonable accommodation under the ADA.

Therapy dogs must be certified by an accredited institution, be well behaved, and have a temperament suitable for interaction with students and others in a public school, as determined in the sole discretion of the administration. Therapy dogs are not owned by the District, and remain the sole personal property of the Owner / Handler.

Requirements for the Use of Therapy Dogs:

The District requires the following stipulations must be satisfied before the District considers a therapy dog for use on school property:

  1. Request for Use of the Therapy Dog

Any staff member seeking to use a therapy dog to school must submit a written request form to the building principal or Director of Student Services. The District identifies the application form as IMGG-R. 

The District’s approval of the request for use of the therapy dog shall not exceed a period of more than one school year.  The staff member may renew the IMGG-R application form annually, but must receive renewed administrator approval for use of the therapy dog prior to the Owner / Handler’s use of the animal in school with students or staff.  Prior approval is not a guarantee of future approval, and remains the decision of the administration.

  1. Completion and Approval of IMGG-R Application Form for New Therapy Dog

Staff members shall resubmit the IMGG-R Application form and receive approval for use of the therapy dog from District or school administration if they use a different dog from the originally approved therapy dog in service to the program.

  1. Training and Certification of the Therapy Dog

The Owner / Handler must provide evidence of the dog’s completion of an AKA, NHSPCA, or equivalent approved certificate of completion of certification training for the role of Therapy Dog as determined and approved by the Director of Student Services. The certification must remain current at all times the dog is present or in service on district property.

  1. Health and Vaccination of the Therapy Dog

The therapy dog must be clean, well groomed, in good health, house broken, and immunized against diseases common to dogs and required by New Hampshire and Town regulation or applicable law.  The Owner /Handler must submit proof of current licensure from the local licensing authority and proof of the therapy dog's current vaccinations and immunizations from a licensed veterinarian prior to use with students and staff.

  1. Health and Safety Regarding the Use of the Therapy Dog

The therapy dog must not pose a health and safety risk to any student, employee, or other person at school. This determination shall remain in the sole discretion of the administration at any time in which the therapy dog is present on district property. The staff member using the therapy dog shall have received permission from a students’ parent/guardian for use of therapy dog prior to the use of the dog with the student.

  1. Identification

The therapy dog must have appropriate identification identifying it as a therapy dog. The District strongly encourages the use of a Therapy Dog vest on the animal.

  1. Authorized Area(s) for Use of the Therapy Dog

The Owner shall only allow the therapy dog to be in areas in school buildings or on school property that district administrators previously authorize in writing.

  1. Mandatory Insurance Coverage for Therapy Dog Use

The Owner must submit a copy of a current insurance policy providing liability coverage for the therapy dog and Owner / Handler while the Therapy Dog is on school property.

  1. Control of the Therapy Dog

A therapy dog shall be under the control of its Owner or Handler through the Owner / Handler’s use of a leash, harness, or other tether to control the Therapy Dog.   The owner / Handler may make an exception to this stipulation when the use of a leash, harness or other tether would interfere with the therapy dog's safe, effective performance of its approved tasks (and then must be in the Owner or Handler’s control via signals, voice or other effective means). However, the therapy dog must be under the Owner's control at all times.

  1. Supervision and Care of Therapy dogs

The Owner / Handler is solely responsible for the supervision and care of the therapy dog, including feeding, exercising, and clean-up of the animal’s waste while the dog is in a school building or on school property. The District is not responsible for providing any care, supervision, or assistance for a therapy dog.

  1. Allergic Reactions

If any student or school employee assigned to a classroom in which the District permits the use of the therapy dog suffers an allergic reaction to animal, the Owner / Handler of the animal will be required to remove the animal to a different location designated by an administrator.

  1. Damage to School Property and Injuries

The Owner / Handler of the therapy dog is solely responsible, and liable, for any damage to District property or injury to personnel, students, or others caused by the therapy dog, Owner, or Handler.

  1. No Disruption to the School Environment

The therapy dog shall not disrupt the educational process by barking, or any other behavior deemed disruptive by the administration.

  1. Exclusion or Removal from School Property

The District may exclude a therapy dog, approved for use on District property, from school property at the sole discretion of the building principal and/or Superintendent. Exclusions can occur for reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Loss of control of the therapy dog;
  2. The therapy dog is not housebroken;
  3. The therapy dog presents a direct threat to others in the school;
  4. The therapy dog's presence interferes with the educational process;
  5. The therapy dog interferes with the health, safety and/or welfare of the students, personnel or others.

The Owner shall be required to remove the therapy dog from school premises immediately upon such a determination by District or School administration

See Also: 

KRSD Procedure IMGG - R – Therapy Dog Procedure Approval Form
KRSD Policy IMG – Service Animals