Dallas Theological Seminary strives to ensure that individuals with disabilities who use assistance animals can receive the benefit of the tasks these animals provide or the therapeutic support they offer in accordance with the requirements of federal law and local laws.
For any questions regarding assistance animal accommodation requests, please contact Michael Parker, Disabilities Service Coordinator, at mparker@dts.edu or 214-887-5175.
2025-26 Animal Policy
The following Assistance Animal Policy is designed to ensure a safe, comfortable, and respectful living environment for all residents of Swindoll Tower and Washington Apartments. All residents are expected to adhere to these guidelines regarding assistance animals. To request an exception to any of the following policies, please submit an Exception Request on the Housing website.
Definitions
Assistance Animals: According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “an assistance animal is an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified effects of a person’s disability. An assistance animal is not a pet.”
- Service Animals: According to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, “Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”
- Support Animals: According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, support animals are “trained or untrained animals that do work, perform tasks, provide assistance, and/or provide therapeutic emotional support for individuals with disabilities.”
Pets: According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an animal that does not qualify as an assistance animal is then, by default, deemed a pet.
Assistance Animal Registration
Step 1: Submit a Reasonable Accommodation Request prior to the animal’s move-in through the DTS Disabilities Services Office. For current residents, your animal must be approved under the new process prior to June 1, 2025.
Support animal owners will be required to submit the following paperwork in their Accommodation Request:
Service animal owners are strongly encouraged to submit the Vaccination form.
Prior to submitting your Request, please review the DTS Assistance Animal Policy thoroughly here:
Step 2: Sign the Assistance Animal Addendum as an attachment to your lease. This addendum affirms that your animal is documented by DTS and approved to be in DTS Housing.
Step 3: Each year, owners of support animals must submit updated Medical Verification and Vaccination forms as part of the renewal process. Owners of service animals are encouraged to submit current Vaccination forms.
City of Dallas Code: Assistance Animal Health Requirements
As a part of the Reasonable Accommodation Request, and annually as a part of the renewal process, residents with assistance animals must provide proof of the following assistance animal health requirements:
Vaccinations: In accordance with City of Dallas Code, Section 7-4.1 (a)(1), all assistance animals must be up to date on required vaccinations, including rabies, distemper, and other immunizations.
Microchipping: In accordance with City of Dallas Code, Section 7-4.2 (a), all dogs and cats must be microchipped within 30 days of living in Dallas.
Spayed/Neutered: In accordance with City of Dallas Code, Section 7-4.10 (a), all dogs and cats over the age of six months must be spayed or neutered unless the owner provides adequate documentation for not meeting this requirement (e.g., health reasons or a valid breeding permit).
Animal Identification: In accordance with City of Dallas Code, Section 7-4.1(2), dogs and cats must wear a collar or harness with current rabies tag securely attached. Animals should also wear identification tags (including owner’s name and phone number) at all times.
Insurance Requirements
Residents with animals are required to maintain renters’ insurance that includes liability coverage for animal-related incidents.
While in DTS Housing...
Restricted Areas
- Apartment Facilities: Animals are not allowed in certain common areas, including but not limited to, the swimming pools, Swindoll Fireside Room, Washington Clubhouse, study or conference rooms, or laundry rooms unless they are assistance animals providing disability-related support for its owner and are not disruptive or posing a direct threat to others.
- Campus Grounds: Animals are prohibited from entering campus buildings (e.g., academic and administrative buildings, library facilities, student center, chapel) unless (A) the animal is expressly a service animal providing disability-related support for its owner and are not disruptive or posing a direct threat to others, or (B) Housing is hosting the event and the animal is an assistance animal providing disability-related support for its owner and are not disruptive or posing a direct threat to others. See Student Handbook for additional restrictions on campus grounds.
- Laundry Rooms: Assistance animal owners are limited to use the washer and dryers designated for animals.
- Elevator Usage: Assistance animal owners must maintain control of their animal at all times when in elevators.
- Dog Park: DTS does not provide a community dog park and encourages dog owners to use city parks and designated dog parks located near campus.
Animal Waste & Clean-Up
- Animal Waste: Residents are responsible for cleaning up after their assistance animals. Animal waste must be disposed of in designated waste stations or appropriate trash bins. Failure to clean up after their assistance animal may result in fines.
- Litter Boxes: Cats must have a litter box in the apartment, and it must be kept clean at all times.
- Accidents in Public Areas: If an assistance animal defecates, urinates, or vomits in a public area within the housing facilities, notify the Housing Office immediately. If a service animal defecates, urinates, or vomits in a public area within a campus facility (e.g., classroom, library), notify Custodial Services immediately.
