Training a service animal in sorority house?
 

Has anyone ever had to deal with a member wanting to keep a service animal in training in a sorority house? A sorority house is clearly not a place of public accommodation, and the member does not need the service animal for herself. I see no way that she possibly can claim that this is legal, but I'm wondering if anyone has encountered this before. Thanks!

I can't see why a service organization would place a puppy with someone living in a sorority house, or a college student in general for that matter. They tend to go to families who have the time for the attention, training and classes that you have to bring the puppy to.

Is she asking this before getting the dog?

The 5 week old puppy showed up today, a week after she moved in. She didn't tell anyone in advance, including her highly allergic roommate.

That's really weird. Do you know what program the puppy is attached to? What kind of dog it is? Does she have any documentation?

Not to mention 5 weeks is really young.

I'd ask for the documentation from the training organization and a contact number. I have a feeling it doesn't exist, but I could be wrong.

http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/ This should provide you with information, and maybe links to the alleged organization in your area.

Honestly it sounds like a pet with a fabricated justification. I'd also check with your house corporation and your Inter/national HQ as it may be an insurance issue. If she was in need of a registered and trained animal, with a documented disability, that's different, but I am thinking that is not the case.

It's all kind of fishy, as I understand it's a 5 week old pit bull. I've worked quite a bit with disabled students and I've never heard of a pit bull as a service animal. While it's not impossible, I too wonder if the organization knows what kind of environment the dog is in. We did have someone who wanted to have a dog in training in the dorms, so I guess it is possible, but probably pretty rare.

We do have in our bylaws that service animals are allowed, but she doesn't need this animal herself. There are just so many potential problems with having a dog in a sorority house!

I'm again not saying it isn't possible, but that is not the usual breed for a service animal.

This site agrees that a breed known as "fighting" is not the best choice.

http://www.iaadp.org/breed.html

ETA: Can you imagine the RM or insurance nightmare if the dog bites someone (either e member or a visitor) or destroys personal or chapter property? It gave me chills just thinking about it.

Not at all, never mind the fact that I can't for the life of me figure out what type of aide a pit bull would be trained for.

Reputable, real service agencies do NOT place training puppies in environments they have not researched and approved. Dogs such as guide dogs for the blind are incredibly expensive, specifically bread dogs. They don't just give them to people willy nilly to raise.

Seriously ask for her documentation, especially being a pit bull, that alone as a regular house pet can cause general insurance issues because of their temperament.

I think you need clarification on the policy from your national organization...regional officer, whomever you would go to for collegiate policy issues. Delta Gamma does not allow pets of any kind. Any requests for service animals has to presented in the form of a waiver request and substantiated by proof of need. I recommend going up the ladder....

No fish?

I've heard of DGs training seeing eye dogs for Service for Sight, but if they're not allowed to live in the house, wouldn't that impede their training? I've heard that seeing eye dogs have to be kept on a really, really strict regimen (i.e. no special treats, restricted diet, etc.) and I would think that having visitors at random intervals might throw that off. Maybe not. Do you have any experience with this Titchou?

What she said ^^^, and I'd suggest going up the ladder ASAP if not sooner.

Definitely ask for the paperwork - I've never heard of an org assigning a dog-in-training to a college student period, let alone one living in a sorority house. They need to be in a very "regular" environment and a sorority house is most definitely not that.

I think there's enough red flags here to point to getting that dog (and potentially that sister) the heck out of there ASAP.

If I were a member living in that house, I would be f'in terrified of that pit bull. (Yes, I know that there are those of you who say that they're perfectly safe when trained well, but this one is very young and we have no idea if this girl knows WTF she is doing).