Service Animals
“Service Animal” means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal’s presence and the provision of emotional support, wellbeing, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
As a general rule, the Park District will modify its policies, practices or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. Individuals will be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of the Park District’s parks and facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go. The Park District will not require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge related to the use of a service animal or require that individual to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets.
The Park District will make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability. Individuals will be permitted to be accompanied by their miniature horses in all areas of the Park District’s parks and facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go. The Park District will not require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge related to the use of a miniature horse or require that individual to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets.
The Park District may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from a park or facility if:
The animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it; or
The animal is not housebroken.
Miniature Horses
In determining whether reasonable modifications can be made with respect to a particular facility, the Park District will consider the following:
The type, size and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features;
Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;
Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and
- Whether the miniature horse’s presence in a specific facility compromises safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation.
The Park District may ask an individual with a disability to remove a miniature horse from a park or facility if at any time the miniature horse becomes out of control and the miniature horse’s handler does not take effective action to control it, or if it becomes clear that the miniature horse is not housebroken.
General Exceptions
The Park District may prohibit the use of a service animal or miniature horse by an individual with a disability if that service animal or miniature horse poses a direct threat, as that term is defined above, to health or safety of others. When determining whether a service animal or miniature horse poses such a threat, the Park District will make an individualized assessment, based on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best available objective evidence. Any final determination will take into consideration:
- The nature, duration, and severity of the risk;
- The probability that the potential injury will actually occur;
- Whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures or the provision of auxiliary aids or services will mitigate the risk.
The Park District may prohibit the use of a service animal or miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the use of the service animal or miniature horse will fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.
An individual with a service animal or miniature horse must comply with the following:
Under Control: The service animal or miniature horse must be under the control of its owner or handler at all times.
Harness/Leash: The service animal or miniature horse must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the owner or handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash or other tether, or the use of the harness, leash or other tether would interfere with the service animal or miniature horse’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal or miniature horse must be otherwise under the owner or handler’s control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means).
Vaccination: The service animal or miniature horse must possess and maintain current immunizations common to that specific class of animal.
Licensing: The service animal or miniature horse must possess and maintain all licenses or permits required by law or local ordinance for that specific class of animal.
Identification and Other Tags: The service animal or miniature horse must wear or display all tags required by law or local ordinance, such as identification or rabies tags.
Clean Up: The owner or handler must follow all laws or local ordinance regulating the cleanup of animal defecation.
Care and Supervision: The owner or handler must care for and properly supervise the service animal or miniature horse at all times.
The Park District may ask the following questions to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal:
Whether the use of the animal is required because of a disability;
What work or task the animal has been trained to perform.
The Park District will not do any of the following when determining whether an animal qualifies as a service animal:
Ask any questions about the nature or extent of a person’s disability;
Require any documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal; or
Ask any of the questions set forth in Section VI(A) if it’s readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.
Questions? You may reach out to Mike Baiardo, Director of Recreation and Facilities with further questions at mbaiardo@bolingbrookparks.org.
