Animals on Campus

Updated August 2025

2.13 | Animals on Campus

2.13.A | Animal Cruelty: Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly torturing or in a cruel manner killing or causing serious bodily injury to an animal, failing to provide necessary food, water or care for an animal in the person’s custody, abandoning unreasonably an animal in the person’s custody, transporting or confining an animal in a cruel manner, causing bodily injury to any animal without the owner’s consent, causing one animal to fight with another animal, or seriously overworking an animal. Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly attacking, injuring or killing an assistance animal or inciting another to attack, injure, or kill an assistance animal.

1. This policy is not intended to prohibit:
   1. Killing or injuring an animal within the scope of a person’s employment or furthering the goals of legitimate educational curriculum as designed and approved by the University.
   2. Killing or injuring an animal when the actor had a reasonable fear of bodily injury to self or another person by that animal.

2.13.B | Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): In accordance with federal and state law (Fair Housing Act), emotional support animals are permitted within university controlled on-campus housing and those areas immediately surrounding the residential facilities for approved students with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Emotional support animals are not permitted in other university buildings, without prior approval as a reasonable accommodation through the Office of Student Accessibility. Emotional support animals are not considered service animals and improperly representing an emotional support animal as a service animal is in violation of the State of Texas Human Resources Code Section 121.006(a), and a violation Dishonesty.

1. ESAs in University Housing: Students seeking approval for the use of an emotional support animal within university controlled on-campus housing will be required to submit a written request to the Office of Student Accessibility and be approved for an ESA prior to the animal coming to campus. Applications can be found here: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?WestTexasAMUniv&layout_id=7.
   1. ESA Approval Status: After receiving final confirmation from the Office of Student Accessibility approving your ESA to be housed in your assigned Residence Hall room, you can bring your animal to campus. ESA approval status is contingent upon maintenance of owner responsibilities and animal behavior (see section 2.14.E of this Handbook). Any animal, regardless of purpose, service or emotional support, may not cause a disruption to the campus community.
      1. Disruption: ESAs that cause significant disruption to the community, damage to university property, or pose a safety risk will be subject to documentation through Student Conduct. Students found Responsible for one or more violations as a result of the actions of their ESA may be subject to revocation of their approval status by the Office of Student Accessibility.

2.13.C | Service Animals: A service animal is permitted on campus grounds and within the administrative buildings with limited exceptions and restrictions. This practice follows the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended. The service animal must have been trained as a service animal in the specific work or tasks directly related to the person’s disability. Students requiring the use of a service animal within university controlled on-campus housing should go through the Office of Student Accessibility (OSA) to complete an application for this accommodation. Under TAMU SAP 08.01.02.M0.02, employees are permitted to ask two (2) questions of the owner:

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

2.13.D | Approved Animals on Campus: Students who apply through the Office of Student Accessibility for a Service Animal or ESA to reside with them in the residence halls, must obtain approval from the Director of OSA prior to the animal coming to campus. The approval status of a student to have an ESA or Service Animal is reliant upon both animal and handler behavior, see Handler’s Responsibilities for more information.

2.13.E | Owner Responsibilities and Animal Behavior: Under TAMU SAP 08.01.02.M0.02, an approved ESA or Service Animal has one owner, the student who applied for the accommodation. That is the person responsible for the animal’s behavior and the only person authorized to handle the animal. If a Service Animal or ESA is found to be disruptive or violating any of the rules surrounding approval status, the student will be documented through Student Conduct, which may result in the approval status being revoked.  The owner is required to:

1. Follow any departmental/unit rules and/or restrictions.
2. Maintain control of the animal at all times (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means). The animal shall have a harness, leash or other tether. Exemptions:
   1. When the owner is unable to use the harness, leash, or other tether because of a disability; or
   2. The use of a harness, leash or other tether would interfere with the animal’s safety and/or effective performance of work or tasks for the disabled owner.
3. Ensure the animal is licensed, registered, and immunized as applicable and in accordance with the laws, regulations, and ordinances of the State of Texas and county and city authorities.
4. Ensure the animal is in good health and care. This includes, but is not limited to feeding, grooming, and veterinary care. The care and supervision of the animal is solely the responsibility of the owner. Animals that are ill must not be taken into public areas. An owner with an ill animal may be asked to remove the animal from the premises.
5. To clean up after the animal relieves itself. An owner with a disability who physically cannot clean up after their animal shall make all necessary arrangements for assistance.
6. Maintain care and supervision of the animal, as well as for loss of services or any damage or injury caused by the animal while on university property. The owner may be billed for the expense of any damage to buildings, furnishings, and/or grounds caused by the animal.

2.13.F | Animal Removal: West Texas A&M University may require an individual to remove their animal from the premises under the following circumstances:

1. The animal’s owner cannot or does not take effective action to control it. Examples of uncontrolled behavior from an animal includes, but is not limited to, continuously barking, approaching or jumping on people, or trying to get away from the handler.
2. The animal is not housebroken.
3. The animal poses a direct threat to the safety of others.

2.13.G | Unattended Animals: An animal left unattended in a vehicle or other area and is perceived to be in distress is to be reported to the University Police Department at 806-651-2300 or 911 in case of emergency. Any animal found unattended in, or on any campus facility may be impounded. Owners of the impounded animal will be held responsible for payment of any impoundment and/or license fees required to secure the release of their animal.

2.13.H | Wild, Feral, or Stray Animals: Wild animals will be left alone if no immediate threat to human safety or property is evident. Violations include, but are not limited to attempting to capture, harm, or engaging with undomesticated animals on university property will be subject to disciplinary action. If an animal is exhibiting dangerous or destructive behavior or posing an immediate threat, UPD must be notified immediately. If the animal is deemed a threat and immediate intervention is required, UPD may elect to remove the threat. Individuals are discouraged from feeding wild, feral, and stray animals. This includes domesticated or feral cats, raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels, and any/all of the fauna which occur either naturally or unnaturally on WT campus. This shall not apply to food left out as bait for purposes of capturing or attracting animals for animal control or for educational purposes as approved and monitored for research purposes. Any person who vandalizes, removes, or deactivates an animal trap that has been set by Animal Control will be in violation of this procedure and will be responsible for replacement costs and/or subject to disciplinary action.

2.13.I | Exclusions: This rule does not apply to the following animals:

1. Animals involved in authorized research.
2. K-9 animals (police dogs).
3. Official university mascots.
4. Animals utilized under approved academic programs and research projects.