Students are expected to follow all expectations outlined in the full Animals on Campus policy.

Animals, including visiting animals, are prohibited in on-campus housing with the following exceptions:

Fish

Registration and prior approval are not required for fish.

Non-dangerous fish are permitted in all residence halls and apartments, limited to one aquarium with appropriate equipment, per contracted resident.

  • The maximum aquarium capacity allowed is 30 gallons per room. Aquarium gravel must not be disposed in toilets or drains.

Pets

Pet: Any animal kept for ordinary companionship.

  • Any wolf-mix dog is considered a wolf and is therefore prohibited as a non-domestic animal.

Pets are permitted ONLY in University Village buildings 121 – 125 and 145 – 163; Schilletter Village buildings 11 – 16; and in Frederiksen Court in 2-bedroom apartments only in buildings 71-74, 2-bedroom apartments.

Students seeking to keep an emotional support animal in their University housing must follow the guidelines set forth in the Housing and Dining Accommodation Request Form and submit the Animals in Residence Agreement Form.

  • Documentation and prior approval are required for all pets.
  • Residents are permitted a MAXIMUM of two (2) pets per APARTMENT.

Service Animal

Service Animal: Please consult the ISU Animals On Campus Policy for more information and the comprehensive policy on this subject.  Generally, a qualifying service animal is a dog or miniature horse that is trained, or in the process of being trained, to do specific work or perform a specific task(s) for the benefit of a person with a disability, including but not limited to physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disabilities. The specific work or tasks performed by the service animal for the benefit of the individual must be directly related to the individual´s disability.

  • Service Animals are generally permitted to accompany the individual with a disability to University facilities where members of the public, students, staff, and faculty are allowed to go.
  • The University may ask the individual with a disability to remove a Service Animal from any of its facilities if: (1) the Service Animal is out of control and the individual with a disability does not take effective action to control it; (2) the Service Animal is not housebroken; or (3) the Service Animal causes an unreasonable disruption to university services or programs. The University may also ask the individual with a disability to remove a Service Animal from any of its facilities if the use or presence of the Service Animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or if the animal’s behavior, such as barking is unreasonably disruptive to the other participants within the facility.
  • The University may impose legitimate health or safety requirements on the presence of a Service Animal necessary for its facilities’ safe operation. Some facilities, or areas within facilities, are unsafe for Service Animals.

Students seeking to have a Service Animal reside in University housing must:

  • Submit a Housing Accommodation Request Form to DOR.
  • Students will be required to work with their veterinarian to provide documentation verifying that the animal has a clean bill of health and current vaccinations.

Generally, only one Service Animal will be assigned per University housing unit.

Emotional Support Animals

Please consult the ISU Animals On Campus Policy for more information and the comprehensive policy on this subject. Generally, an Emotional Support Animal provides emotional support, well-being, or comfort that mitigates one or more functional impacts or effects of a person’s disability.

Emotional Support Animals may be considered for access to University housing, but are not permitted inside other University buildings (e.g. libraries, academic buildings, classrooms, labs, etc.).

Students seeking to keep an emotional support animal in their University housing must follow the guidelines set forth in the Housing and Dining Accommodation Request Form and submit the Animals in Residence Agreement Form.

Approved Emotional Support Animals may accompany their owner to any location within the owner’s assigned residence to which the owner has access.

Generally, only one emotional support animal will be assigned per University housing unit.

Owner Responsibility

Owners must abide by current city, county, and state ordinances/laws/regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. (It is the individual’s responsibility to know and understand these ordinances, laws and regulations).

  • Animals must display CURRENT identification and vaccination tags at all times.

Owners must abide by all policies and regulations in this document, the current Housing Contract Terms and Conditions, and the University Policy regarding Animals On Campus available in the Policy Library.

It is encouraged that all dogs go through obedience training so effective control over the animal can be maintained.

Owners must maintain control of their animal at all times.

  • Animals must be under the control of their owners/handlers at all times and must have a harness, leash, or other tether. If the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the performance of the work or tasks performed by a Service Animal or is impractical because of an individual’s disability, a harness, leash, or other tether may not be required. However, in that case, the individual must be able to control the Service Animal by other effective means such as voice controls or signals.
  • Loose animals are subject to capture and confinement (by ISU Police, Ames Police, or Ames Animal Control Services) and immediate removal from University housing.

Owners are required to ensure the animal is well cared for at all times. Any evidence of mistreatment or abuse may result in immediate removal of the animal and/or disciplinary action for the owner.

  • Roommates are not responsible for the care or maintenance of their roommate’s animal.

Animals may not be left in housing overnight to be cared for by someone other than the owner. If the owner is absent from their residence overnight or longer, the owner must take the animal with them.

  • When absent from their assignment for short periods, such as class, the animal must be restricted to the owner’s assigned bedroom. If the owner is in a shared bedroom, the animal must be restrained in a carrier/crate so as to protect the belongings of any roommate(s).

Owners are responsible for ensuring that the volume of their animals is not disruptive to other residents. This includes barking, whining, meowing, squeaking, squawking, talking, etc. Animals deemed disruptive to other residents are subject to removal from University housing.

Owners are responsible for ensuring their animals are house trained prior to bringing the animal into residence.

  • Cats must be litter trained and dogs are to be taken outdoors, to a grassy area, for urination/defecation.
  • Animal feces must be disposed of properly. Owners must remove feces from University property/grounds, dispose of it in a plastic bag, and then place that bag in outside garbage dumpsters. Cleanup must occur IMMEDIATELY.
  • Cat litter, small animal bedding, etc. must be bagged and disposed of in outside garbage dumpsters.

The owner will take all reasonable precautions to protect the property of the University and the residents. All liability for actions of the animal (bites, scratches, damages to property, nuisance barking etc.) is the responsibility of the owner.

  • If a pet attacks/bites anyone or is determined by appropriate University Staff to be dangerous, abandoned, neglected, or a nuisance the animal is subject to immediate removal from the community.
  • Residential laundry rooms are not to be used for cleaning animal bedding or clothing. Owners wishing to wash these items should visit a commercial laundry facility off-campus or take the items home.

DOR maintains the right to conduct inspections for fleas, ticks, or other pests. If any are found, the space will be treated – at the owner’s expense – using approved fumigation services by a university-approved pest control service.

  • The owner will be required to remove the animal from residence and will not be permitted to bring the animal back until such time that they have submitted written verification that the animal has been treated and is pest free.

The owner will be responsible for any damage caused by the animal to University property. Any charges related to damage by the animal will be applied to the owner’s University bill.