[nagdu] DOJ on service dogs and allergies

[Tracy Carcione]

Trish Ebel posted this info to the NJAGDU list, and Marion asked that it be 
forwarded here as well.

From: Njagdu [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Trish Ebel
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 9:41 PM
To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [Njagdu] Interesting information that may be helpful to someone.



    While working with one of the Bergen county school districts we came 
across this problem, so I just wanted to share some helpful information.



In a situation where one student is allergic to dogs and another uses a 
service dog, the student using the service animal should be accommodated. 
However, there needs to be some thought given to the student with allergies. 
When they are in a class together, they should be spacially separated. Here 
is just such an idea from the Department of Justice's document, Revised ADA 
Requirements; Service Animals. This is in regard to the new regulations 
published in 2010.



  a.. Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or 
refusing service to people using service animals. When a person who is 
allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service animal must spend 
time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom or at 
a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if 
possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the 
facility.
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm



The Job Accommodation Network has suggestions for this kind of scenario in 
the workplace. Some of those ideas would not and cannot work in a school 
setting, but some of them might help to improve the situation. For example, 
perhaps a portable air purifier could be used in the class room and/or a 
HEPA filter could be used for the ventilation system for that room. Also, 
perhaps the student with the service animal could agree to use a dander 
control product from the veterinarian or local pet store. The school could 
also make for certain that the class room is cleaned regularly; dusted, 
vacuumed, floors washed, etc. Here is the link to the JAN document.

http://askjan.org/corner/vol02iss01.htm