THE PEOPLE MOVER

Service Animal Policy

Purpose

Grant County Transportation district is committed to providing accessible transportation services in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations found in 49 CFR Parts 27, 37, 38, and 39.

In accordance with 49 CFR § 37.167(d), service animals are permitted to accompany individuals with disabilities on all agency vehicles, in facilities, and in all agency programs and activities.

Definition of a Service Animal

For purposes of transportation services, a service animal is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to:

• Guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision;
• Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing;
• Pulling a wheelchair;
• Retrieving dropped items;
• Providing balance or mobility assistance;
• Alerting and protecting an individual during a seizure;
• Interrupting or mitigating the effects of a psychiatric disability; or
• Performing other specific work or tasks directly related to an individual's disability.

Service animals shall be transported without additional charge and are not required to ride in a carrier or cage.

Determining Whether an Animal is a Service Animal

When it is not readily apparent that an animal is a service animal, agency personnel may ask only the following two questions:

1. Is the animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the animal been individually trained to perform?

Agency personnel shall not:

• Require documentation, certification, registration, identification cards, or proof that the animal is a service animal;
• Require the animal to demonstrate its work or task;
• Ask about the nature or extent of the person's disability; or
• Ask questions beyond those permitted by the ADA.

Breed, size, weight, or appearance alone are never sufficient reasons to deny transportation.

Service Animals Are Working

Employees should avoid distracting, petting, feeding, or interacting with a service animal unless invited to do so by the handler.

Control of the Service Animal

The individual using the service animal is responsible for maintaining control of the animal at all times while using Grant County Transportation District services.

Whenever appropriate, the service animal should be harnessed, leashed, or tethered while on agency vehicles or in agency facilities.

However, a service animal is not required to be harnessed, leashed, or tethered if:

• The use of a harness, leash, or tether would interfere with the service animal's safe or effective performance of its work or tasks; or
• The individual's disability prevents the use of a harness, leash, or tether.

In these circumstances, the handler must maintain effective control of the service animal through voice commands, hand signals, signals, or other effective means of control.

Service animals must remain under the handler's control at all times and should not:

• Roam freely;
• Approach or interfere with other passengers without permission;
• Obstruct aisles, doorways, wheelchair securement areas, or emergency exits;
• Interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle; or
• Create a safety hazard for passengers or employees.

Multiple Service Animals

Individuals may travel with more than one service animal if each animal individually meets the ADA definition of a service animal and can be safely accommodated.

Responsibilities of the Handler

The handler is responsible for:

• Supervising and caring for the service animal;
• Maintaining effective control of the animal at all times;
• Ensuring the animal is housebroken;
• Cleaning up after the animal when appropriate; and
• Ensuring the animal does not interfere with the safe operation of transit services.

Agency personnel are not responsible for feeding, watering, supervising, or otherwise caring for a service animal.

Seating and Placement

Service animals should remain under the handler's control and positioned so they do not create a safety hazard or obstruct movement within the vehicle.

Service animals should not occupy a passenger seat if doing so would prevent another passenger from using the seat or create a safety hazard. Small service animals may sit on their handler's lap if it can be done safely.

Service animals must not block aisles, doorways, wheelchair securement locations, or emergency exits.

The agency will not require individuals with disabilities traveling with service animals to sit in a designated location.

Exclusion of a Service Animal

A service animal may only be excluded from agency vehicles or facilities if:

• The animal is out of control, and the handler does not take effective action to control it;
• The animal is not housebroken; or
• The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated through a reasonable modification. The direct threat determination must be based on the animal's actual behavior and not on assumptions, stereotypes, breed, or past experiences with other animals.

If a service animal is behaving in a disruptive or unsafe manner, agency personnel may request that the handler regain control of the animal. If the handler does not take effective action, the animal may be excluded from service consistent with the ADA.

Whenever feasible, if a service animal must be excluded, Grant County Transportation District will make reasonable efforts to continue providing transportation to the individual without the animal if doing so can be accomplished safely and in accordance with ADA requirements.

Situations That Are Not Grounds for Exclusion

A service animal shall not be denied access solely because:

• The animal is not wearing a leash, harness, or tether, provided the handler maintains effective control through voice commands, signals, or other effective means as permitted by the ADA;
• Other passengers are afraid of animals;
• Other passengers have allergies;
• The animal's breed, size, or appearance;
• The animal barks once or occasionally while performing its duties; or
• Agency personnel or other passengers question whether the animal is a "real" service animal.

Emotional Support Animals

Animals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, companionship, well-being, or therapy without being individually trained to perform a specific task related to a person's disability are not considered service animals under the U.S. Department of Transportation ADA regulations.

Such animals may be transported only in accordance with the agency's general pet policy, if applicable.

Damage Caused by a Service Animal

Individuals with disabilities will not be charged an additional fare or fee because they are traveling with a service animal.

However, handlers may be responsible for the cost of repairing damage caused by a service animal if the agency normally charges passengers for property damage they cause.

Questions or Complaints

Any individual who believes they have been improperly denied transportation or otherwise discriminated against regarding the use of a service animal may file a complaint in accordance with Grant County Transportation District ADA Complaint Procedures.

Complaints may be submitted in accessible formats, and reasonable assistance will be provided to individuals who require assistance in filing a complaint because of a disability.

Employee Responsibilities

Employees shall:

• Treat individuals with disabilities and their service animals with courtesy, dignity, and respect;
• Follow this policy and applicable ADA requirements;
• Ask only the two questions permitted by the ADA when it is not obvious that an animal is a service animal;
• Not request documentation or proof that an animal is a service animal;
• Not inquire about the nature or extent of a person's disability;
• Not separate an individual from their service animal except as permitted by this policy; and
• Immediately report any service animal-related incidents to their supervisor in accordance with agency procedures.

Employees shall not refuse transportation because another passenger objects to or is uncomfortable around a service animal.

Employees who have questions regarding this policy should contact the agency's ADA Coordinator before denying transportation whenever practicable.