Animals on Campus Policy
1.00 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to protect the University community from hazards associated with or caused by animals, as defined in section 3.00 of this policy. The University recognizes that animals often select the campus grounds as their habitat and that occasionally, owners bring their own animals to the campus. This policy is intended to optimize the safety and health of faculty, staff, students, and visitors as it relates to animals on campus and to align with system-wide regulations.
This policy is deemed to be consistent with the University's commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals described in the Cal State Monterey Bay Founding Vision and to its core values.
2.00 Scope
This policy establishes regulations regarding animals on campus other than those related to instructional and/or research activity [1].
The areas affected by this policy are limited to the grounds and buildings located on the Main Campus. Animal control in the East Campus residential housing areas are covered by their respective student or employee lease agreements.
3.00 Definitions
For this purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:
Assistance Animal: a category of animals that may work, provide assistance, or perform physical tasks for an individual with a disability and/or provide necessary emotional support to an individual with a mental or psychiatric disability that alleviates one or more identified symptoms of an individual’s disability, but which are not considered Service Animals under the ADAAA. Some Assistance Animals are professionally trained, but in other cases, Assistance Animals provide the necessary support to individuals with disabilities without any formal training or certification. Dogs are commonly used as Assistance Animals, but any animal can serve a person with a disability as an Assistance Animal. It is important to note that animals that may be needed because of a disability may be identified by various names. For example, an individual may identify the animal as a companion animal, therapy animal, or emotional support animal [2].
Domestic Animal/Pets: an animal that has been trained or adapted to living in a human environment and kept for ordinary companionship or interest unrelated to a disability. Hereinafter the term for such domestic animals will be used to also mean pet. Such animals include (not limited to): dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and other types of household pets. Service animals are not considered pets, even though they may also provide some of the benefits of pets. Although Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and therapy animals are generally considered by their owners/handlers to also be pets, for purposes of determining applicable guidelines and policies, ESAs and therapy animals will be referred to as such, not pets.
Emotional Support Animal: an emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal (of any non-human species) that a qualified physician, psychiatrist or other licensed mental health professional has determined would benefit a person with a diagnosed disability in managing one or more of their disability-related symptoms or needs. ESAs provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. ESAs do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but they may be permitted as reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.
Feral Animal: a once-domestic animal that has reverted to an untamed state.
IACUC: the Institutional Animal and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for oversight of animals used in research and instruction activities as described in the Policy on Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research and Instruction and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals Guide.
Police Dogs/K-9 Units: these are law enforcement and public safety dogs that are trained to perform work for and with trained law enforcement or emergency response professionals, and these are often referred to as “K-9” units. This can include bomb detection dogs, drug detection dogs, search and rescue dogs, police dogs, facility dogs, and other titles in support of community policing.
Service Animal: a dog or miniature horse specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.
Therapy Animal: any animal certifiably trained and used by a certified handler to provide therapeutic intervention with individuals or groups to enhance and complement traditional therapy; at CSUMB the most common occurrence of therapy animals is in public settings for wellness programs where primarily dogs are introduced for touching, petting, and holding as a form of stress reduction.
Wild Animal: a non-domesticated animal living in its natural habitat. Many wild animals may live in built environments alongside humans.
4.00 Animal Control
The abandonment of animals on campus grounds is strictly forbidden. Any animals found tethered, unattended, or abandoned (including inside vehicles) on campus grounds shall be humanely impounded in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
The following animal control policies apply to these different types of animals:
4.10 Wild Animals
The trapping, caging, displaying, and/or use of wild animals on campus for any other purpose than educational instruction or by authorized individuals is prohibited.
Wild animals that are not a risk and do not represent a hazard, cause property damage, or create a public nuisance, and that do not involve human intervention, shall be allowed to inhabit the campus grounds.
Prohibited human intervention includes, but may not limited to: feeding, building of shelters, and injection of medication. *The IACUC is authorized to make exceptions according to animal research regulations.
Wild animals that are a potential risk, represent a hazard, cause property damage, create a nuisance, or otherwise pose a potential conflict for humans shall be regulated, controlled, or humanely relocated when possible, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations by the University Policy, the CA Department of Fish and Game, and/or other Monterey County wildlife authorities.
4.20 Feral Animals
Feral animals that are not a risk and do not represent a hazard, cause property damage, or create a public nuisance, shall be allowed to inhabit the campus grounds.
Feral animals that are a potential risk, represent a hazard, cause property damage, create a nuisance, or otherwise pose a potential conflict for humans shall be regulated, controlled, or humanely relocated, when possible, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations by the University Policy, Marina Animal Control (domestic), Monterey County SPCA, and/or the CA Department of Fish and Game.
Feeding and entrapment of feral animals for rescue purposes or surgical sterilization is acceptable as long as doing so does not create a hazard, cause property damage, or create a public nuisance.
Permission to trap must be obtained from the Safety, Risk, and Sustainability Office prior to the onset of any entrapment program. Sterilized feral animals may be returned to their former habitat if efforts at socialization and subsequent home placement fail.
4.30 Domestic Animals
Domestic animals are not allowed in campus buildings where campus business is conducted, including main campus student housing facilities. This section does not apply to approved service animals, approved emotional support animals, and/or to animals used by law enforcement officers.
In special or emergency circumstances, approval may be obtained from the Risk Manager for animals to be allowed in campus buildings for a limited time.
All pet owners are expected to comply with all applicable ordinances, regulations, and laws governing domestic animals. The owner is legally responsible for the actions of their pet(s) and assume all liability related thereto.
Domestic animals must be under the direct control of a responsible person while on campus grounds, restrained by either a leash that does not exceed six-feet in length or in an appropriate animal carrier, crate, cage or kennel. Domestic animals under voice command are not considered on leash and are not permitted.
Domestic animals brought to campus must be licensed and fully inoculated, with the burden of proof on the owner. Fecal matter deposited by any domestic animal brought to campus must be removed immediately and properly disposed of by the owner.
The University reserves the right to prohibit domestic animals from any campus event.
4.40 Service and Emotional Support Animals
California State Monterey Bay complies with federal and state disability civil rights laws and permits service animals where participants and members of the public are normally allowed, including food service areas and campus transportation vehicles (i.e., shuttles).
Emotional support animals (ESAs) are limited to campus housing, unless they are part of an approved classroom accommodation through the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC).
4.4.1 Student Requests for ESAs
Any student requesting to use an emotional support animal on campus must request such accommodation by contacting the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC). The accommodation must be approved before the animal is brought to campus.
4.4.2 Employee Requests for ESAs
Any employee requesting to use an emotional support animal on campus must request such accommodation by contacting the Human Resources office. The accommodation must be approved before the animal is brought to campus.
4.4.3 Service and Emotional Support Animal Expectations
a) The handler must be in full control of the animal's behavior at all times.
b) The animal must be on leash; however, the user does not have to use a leash if they are unable, if using a leash would harm them, or if the animal must perform a task without use of a leash.
c) Reasonable behavior and proper hygiene are expected from the animal while on campus. Animals with hygiene issues will be denied access to campus until the problem is resolved effectively.
d) If the animal exhibits unacceptable behavior, the owner is expected to employ proper training techniques and correct the situation to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
e) The animal is not required to wear a collar, tag, vest or other identifying equipment indicating that it is a trained service animal or emotional support animal.
f) Animals must be licensed and fully inoculated in compliance with Monterey County animal regulations, with the burden of proof on the animal handler.
g) Fecal matter deposited by an animal on campus must be removed and disposed of properly. The burden is on the animal handler to arrange for removal of fecal matter if they are personally unable to perform the task.
4.50 Removal and Prohibition of Animals
Unreasonable behavior by any animal (including service animals, ESAs, and pets) that is determined to be out of control is prohibited on campus. Unreasonable behavior includes:
- Vicious behavior – growling, snarling, biting, attacking, etc.
- Disruptive behavior – barking, running around, nipping, bringing attention to itself
- Not being housebroken – urinating and defecating indoors in unsanitary manner
- Not being sufficiently cleaned or groomed – foul odor, shedding, fleas, ticks, etc.
- Not being appropriately restrained
A University employee may require an individual to remove their service or emotional support animal from the premises if:
- The animal is out of control or exhibiting inappropriate, disruptive or aggressive behavior, and the handler does not take effective action to control the animal’s behavior.
- The animal is not housebroken.
- The presence of the service or emotional support animal will result in a direct threat to the health or safety of the service, the program or activity involved.
When a university employee determines that a service or emotional support animal must be removed due to the factors listed above, the animal’s owner will be offered the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.
5.00 Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations for employees to any provision of this policy can be requested before the animal is brought to campus by contacting stateside Human Resources or Corporation HR.
Reasonable accommodations for students to any provision of this policy can be requested before the animal is brought to campus by contacting the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC).
The Safety, Risk and Sustainability Senior Director is responsible for providing the final determination on the risk, potential hazard, potential for property damage, or potential for public nuisance of any animal on campus grounds and shall educate members of the campus community by informing them of the key aspects of this policy.
University Police shall implement appropriate enforcement action.
Marina Animal Control (domestic), Monterey County SPCA and the California Department of Fish and Game (wild) will be utilized to humanely and expeditiously capture and relocate animals when requested to do so by University Police.
Employees and/or students who fail to comply or who interfere with the implementation of this policy, including relocation of animals, shall be subject to corrective action consistent with applicable employment agreements, collective bargaining agreements, student conduct codes, and California laws and regulations. Enforcement procedures will take into consideration factors such as the severity or frequency of non-compliance or failure to correct the infraction.
6.00 Continuous Renewal
This policy shall be reviewed ten years from its effective date to determine its utility and appropriateness. This policy may be reviewed before that time as necessary.
s/ President Vanya Quiñones
Effective Date: May 13, 2025
Certification of Process
Reviewed by: Student Disability and Accessibility Center, Risk Manager, Human Resources, Student Housing and Residential Life, Student Conduct, University Police, University Advancement, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, Associated Students, Academic Affairs Leadership Team, and Academic Senate.
[1] See Policy on the Humane Care & Use of Animals in Research & Instruction
[2] This term is adopted from guidelines established by the California State University and by the Fair Housing Act