Pet and Support Animal Policy

Employees and students must submit all listed documents for one of the following options at least one month prior to their arrival on campus.

For professionally trained service animals:

1. The Providence Service Animal Information Form, filled out by the service animal handler (or by their parent or guardian).
2. A copy of an identification card or other written documentation for their animal from a recognized Canadian service animal training association:
   • Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
   • Canadian Association of Guide and Assistance Dog Schools (CAGADS)
   • Canadian Association of Service Dog Trainers (CASDT)
   • Canadian Foundation for Animal-Assisted Support Services (CFAS) – any of the recommended non-member training services that are listed.
3. A photo of the animal.

For self-trained service animals (includes online service animal registrations):

1. The Providence Service Animal Information Form, filled out by the service animal handler (or by their parent or guardian).
2. The Providence Service Animal Medical Reference Form, filled out by the handler’s medical professional that is currently treating their physical, mental, or emotional condition.
   • Accepted medical assessors include: Physician (GP), Audiologist, Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Neurologist, Neuropsychologist.
3. A photo of the animal.

For service animal request/reference forms, contact the Executive Assistant for Student Life.

Employees and students must go through a formal application process and receive approval prior to their arrival on campus. Applicants must submit the following at least 4-6 weeks prior to their arrival:

1. The Providence Emotional Support Animal Application Form.
2. The Providence Emotional Support Animal Medical Reference Form, filled out by the owner’s medical professional that is currently treating their mental or emotional condition.
   • Accepted medical assessors include: Physician (GP), Audiologist, Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Neurologist, Neuropsychologist.
3. A photo of the animal.
4. Approved Emotional Support Animals:
   • Small or medium breed dogs (5-60lbs)
     • Must be at least 12 months old.
     • Must have proof that the animal has been through an obedience training course.
   • House cats
     • Must be at least 12 months old.
     • Must be house trained.
   • Small, caged animals – excluding birds, insects/spiders, most reptiles (except for turtles), and mice/rats.

For emotional support animal application/reference forms, contact the Executive Assistant for Student Life.

Providence employees and students are required to inform Student Life Staff of their intention to bring a support animal to live in campus accommodations at least one month prior to their start date at Providence. Health, sanitary, safety, and disruptive standards must be maintained as follows:

1. Animals require daily food and attention, as well as a daily assessment of their general health, behaviour, and overall welfare.
2. Collars and tags must be worn by the animal at all times – this includes licensing and up to date immunizations.
3. Animals cannot be left unattended overnight or for more than 6-8 hours at any time. If the owner must be away, they must either take the animal with them, or make arrangements for them to be cared for off-campus. Providence employees, student leaders, or anyone other than the owner will take no responsibility for the care of the animal. The animal must be in the care and control of the owner at all times while on campus.
4. Owners living in residence halls with small, caged animals must keep the animals in their cages at all times, except when the owner is physically handling them.
5. Animals must not be allowed to run free on the Providence campus or in any Providence buildings outside of the private living space of the owner. ESA’s are allowed on the lawn if they are in an animal carrier or controlled by a leash or harness.
6. ESA's must not be taken into administrative buildings or indoor common spaces (this standard does not apply to service animals).
7. The owner will notify the appropriate member of Student Life if the animal has escaped its confines and is unable to be located.
8. Animals must not be allowed to disrupt others (e.g., barking continuously, growling, howling, etc.). Any reasonable indication of distress from a support animal constitutes an emergency for the purposes of entering the premises by Providence Student Life, Providence Student Leadership, Providence Facilities, or Animal Control personnel without prior consent. In such cases, the animal may be removed to the local Animal Control Agency, without liability to Providence for any cause. The owner will be responsible for all costs involved in such removal or retrieval of the animal.
9. The animal owner will take all reasonable precautions to protect Providence staff and residents, as well as the property of Providence and of the residents.
10. An animal must not be involved in an incident where a person experiences either the threat of or an actual injury as a result of the animal’s behavior. Animals that constitute a threat to staff, residents, or property, as determined by the Vice President of Student Life, must be removed. Providence reserves the right to expect immediate removal of the animal to ensure the safety of the greater campus community. All liability for the actions of the animal (bites, scratches, etc.) is the responsibility of the owner.
11. Animal feces must be disposed of properly. It is the owner’s responsibility to remove feces from campus grounds, collecting it in a plastic bag and then placing that bag in the garbage dumpsters outside. Cleanup must occur IMMEDIATELY. Animal feces may not be disposed of in any indoor trash receptacle or through the sewer system inside any building at Providence. A $25.00 clean up fee will be imposed on the owner, should the owner not pick up waste from the support animal after each occurrence.
12. Animal accidents within the private living space must be promptly cleaned up using appropriate cleaning products. Cleaning products are not provided by Providence or Sodexo. Regular and routine cleaning of floors, kennels, cages, and litter boxes must occur. The odor of an animal emanating from the personal living space is not acceptable.
13. Any flea infestation must be attended to promptly by a professional extermination company at the owner’s expense. Owners are expected to promptly notify the appropriate Student Life staff member and arrange for extermination when a flea problem is noted.
14. The animal owner has an obligation to make sure that the private living space is as clean as the original standard. If the private living space has carpeting, this also includes regular vacuuming and spot cleaning while occupying the space. When the owner moves out of their Providence accommodations, the carpets will be cleaned. The cost of this service will be deducted from the owner’s damage deposit. Damages caused by the animal, including but not limited to the building(s), grounds, flooring, walls, trim, tiles, carpeting, or furnishings by way of stains, scratching, hair, chewing, deposit, or any other support animal related cause are the financial responsibility of the owner. These charges for extraordinary cleaning or maintenance that go over and above the damage deposit amount will either be charged to the owner’s student account or sent in the form of an invoice at the discretion of the Facilities department.

Both employees and students that repeatedly fail to abide by the standards of behaviour listed above will be taken through the Providence Accountability Process, as outlined in the Student Policy Handbook. However, as previously stated, if any person experiences either the threat of or an actual injury as a result of a support animal’s behavior, Providence reserves the right to expect immediate removal of the animal, without the owner being taken through the accountability process, to ensure the safety of the greater campus community.