Service animals are welcome in the Cowell Center. Santa Clara University is committed to ensuring that visitors with disabilities are afforded equal access to health services.
Service animals are dogs or miniature horses that are trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities. For more information about service animals, please visit the Americans with Disabilities Act information pages. An assistance animal, such as an emotional support animal, is not a service animal and is not permitted in the building. Please refer to the Office of Accessible Education pages for the definition of assistance versus service animal.
The ADA requires that the service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered while in a public area unless the leash or tethering device interferes with the ability of the animal to perform its task. In that case, the handler must retain control of the animal at all times through voice, signal or other means.
Service animals must not display disruptive or aggressive behaviors that interfere with other people's use of the Cowell Center’s services and facilities.
If a service animal's behaviors or actions pose an unreasonable or direct threat to the health or safety of others, or do not conform to these guidelines, Cowell Center staff may request that the animal be removed from the Cowell Center. If the service animal is excluded from the Cowell Center, the individual with the disability is welcome to stay and will be reasonably accommodated by Cowell Center staff.
Cowell Center patrons are expected to adhere to Santa Clara University's community standards & student conduct code. Non-compliance with these standards can be grounds for a request to leave the Cowell Center.