Purpose

Lake Avenue Church is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for people who participate in ministry activities, including those who use assistance animals. This policy is intended to comply generally with the Americans with Disabilities for both service and emotional support animals.

Policy Statement

Service Animals: The ADA defines a service animal as a dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability. We welcome people with service animals on ministry premises. Ministry leaders may ask individuals with service animals a few questions, including:

• Is the animal required because of a disability?
•  What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

Emotional Support Animals: An emotional support animal (also known as a comfort animal) provides reassurance just by being with a person. Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and many other species can serve as emotional support animals. However, they do not qualify as “service animals” under the ADA. Therefore, our organization has chosen NOT to allow emotional support animals on its premises for worship services.

Animal Handler’s Responsibilities: Individuals who bring a service animal onto our premises are expected to:

• Keep the animal harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with an animal’s work or an owner’s disability prevents them from using these devices.
• Control the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls, if the animal cannot be harnessed, leashed, or tethered.
• Remain in the service animal-designated area during the worship service & clean up any remains.
• Cover any property damages incurred by service animal.

Our Organization’s Rights: Our organization does not have to provide care, food, or a special location for the service animal to relieve itself. We reserve the right to remove an assistance animal from the premises if it:

• Is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it.
• Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
• Is not housebroken.
• Is not compliant with the animal handler’s responsibilities.

If an assistance animal must be removed from the premises, absent other circumstances, the owner may re-enter the premises and attend church or ministry activities without the service animal.

Application Form