2024-2025 Location: Blanton-Nason-Brewer, South Wing, Floors 1-3
Pet-Friendly Housing is intended to provide you the option to have your pet live with you during your time living on campus. The guidelines below have been developed to help you understand the expectations and responsibilities of having your pet live with you.
Please note, even if you’re not a pet owner, you still have the opportunity to express interest in living in the pet-friendly community.
Please read the information below to see all of the information, resources, and policies regarding pet housing on campus.
Animals on Campus:
Pet-friendly housing was established to enhance the sense of “home” at Truman for students. Outside animals of certain distinctions are permitted so long as they meet the requirements of that category. Listed here are the different categories of animals on campus:
A “service animal” is a dog or miniature horse individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. Service animals include, but are not limited to, guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf/hard of hearing, and service animals for individuals with physical disabilities and seizure disorders. Service animals/service dogs are not considered “pets” and are explicitly permitted under state and federal civil rights laws. The University will require documentation for a service animal consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students are encouraged to register their service animal with the Office of Student Access and Disability Services.
209.204. Impersonation of Person with Disability for Purpose of Receiving Service Dog Accommodations
Any person who knowingly impersonates a person with a disability for the purpose of receiving the accommodations regarding service dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 12101, et seq., is guilty of a class C misdemeanor and shall also be civilly liable for the amount of any actual damages resulting from such impersonation. Any second or subsequent violation of this section is a class B misdemeanor. For purposes of this section, “impersonates a person with a disability” means a representation by word or action as a person with a disability or a representation of a dog by word or action as a service dog.
CREDIT(S) (L.2005, H.B. No. 116, § A, eff. July 12, 2005.)
For more information about Service Animals, please visit Student Access and Disability Services.
An “emotional assistance animal” or “emotional support animal” is an animal that is owned by an individual with a disability. Emotional assistance/support animals provide assistance to their owner in relation to a specific diagnosed disability. There must be a clear nexus between assistance provided by the animal and the specific disability of the student.
Emotional assistance/support animals are not permitted in non-housing buildings on campus. Students wishing to bring an emotional assistance/support animal to campus must submit an Emotional Assistance/Support Animal Request Form, all necessary documentation, and be approved. Generally Emotional Support Animals are limited to either a dog or a cat.
For more information about Emotional Support Animals, please visit Student Access and Disability Services.
Truman State University will allow residents of designated spaces in Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall to live with their pets within certain guidelines. Pets are animals, other than those defined above, that a resident registers and is granted approval to have live with them in their on-campus residence.
A “therapy animal” is an animal owned by a therapist and selected to play an integral part of a person’s treatment process. A therapy animal is prescribed to an individual with a disability by a healthcare or mental health professional.
*A therapy animal is not a service animal, and unlike a service animal, a therapy animal does not assist a person with a disability with activities of daily living, nor does it accompany a person with a disability at all times. Therapy animals are not allowed in on-campus housing.
For more information about Therapy Animals, please visit Student Access and Disability Services.
Purpose of a Pet-Friendly Residence Community:
The University Pet-Friendly Housing Policy is intended to provide an option for students who wish to have their pet live with them on campus while enrolled as a student. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to honor the rights of all students as well as the entire campus community. The Pet-Friendly Housing Policy provides the guidelines by which this can be accomplished. Students acknowledge their understanding of this policy and agree to the identified conditions, as well as penalties that may result in violations of the policy. Every pet owner is encouraged to consider carefully the advantages and disadvantages of the campus environment for their pet prior to deciding to bring them to campus.
Approved Pets:
- Gerbils
- Guinea Pigs
- Hamsters
- Cat—spayed or neutered; must be at least 9 months old and have lived with family for at least 3 months prior to arrival on campus
- Dog—spayed or neutered; must be at least 9 months old and have lived with family for at least 3 months prior to arrival on campus; some restrictions apply
- Rabbit
- the animal must weigh less than 65 lbs.
- Prohibited breeds: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, and all Wolf Hybrids
Fish
Additionally, many fish are permitted to live in ANY on-campus residence so long as they live in a tank no larger than 10 gallons. The pet registration process and associated pet fees are waived for students who wish to have fish for a pet.
Pet Registration Process:
The first step to living in pet-friendly housing is to submit a housing application through the Housing Portal, and then to select the Pet-Friendly Housing Option within the housing application.
In preparation for your application submission, you will be asked to upload documents with the following information:
- Current photo of the animal.
- Veterinary records that verify the animal is at least 9 months old.
- Veterinary records that demonstrate the pet has been in the primary care of the student and/or family for at least 3 months.
- Verification of appropriate licensing in the City of Kirksville.
- Veterinary record confirmation of spay or neuter (for cats and dogs).
- Current veterinary record of vaccinations listing all required vaccinations and showing they are up-to-date (for cats and dogs).
| Animal Type | Rabies | Distemper | Bordetella | Flea Prevention | Heartworm Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cat | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
As there is a limited number of spaces available in the Pet-Friendly community, approvals will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. You must submit an application for Pet-Friendly Housing and receive approval prior to moving your pet into your room.
Approved Pet Fee
Students who register and are approved to bring a pet will be charged a pet fee each semester.
| Animal Type | Pet Fee per Semester |
|---|---|
| Fish | No Charge |
| Dog | $50 |
| Cat | $50 |
| Other Approved Small Animals | $25 |
Kirksville Pet Licensing
According to the City of Kirksville, “All dogs and cats are to be registered with the Police Department. You can come to the Police Department during normal business hours with vaccination papers from a veterinarian. This is a free service.” Direct questions about pet licensing in the city of Kirksville to the Police Department at 660-785-6945.
Visit the City of Kirksville website for more information: www.kirksvillecity.com/
Roommates
Students who select “Yes” to Pet Housing in the Housing Application will bypass the roommate select pages as Pet Housing is only offered in single-suite rooms.
Owner Expectations:
- The student/pet owner is responsible for all actions of their pet at all times.
- Owners must always clean up after their pets. All waste bags must be put in an outside trash receptacle, preferably a dumpster.
- All pets must be on a visible leash and under the control of their owner when outside of the resident’s room. Under no circumstances is any pet allowed to run unsupervised outside the room. Electronic collars controlled by remote devices do not satisfy this requirement.
- Pets may not be left on campus unattended over weekends or break periods.
- Dogs and cats must wear their identification tags and a current rabies vaccination tag at all times. It is encouraged that students have their pet microchipped prior to living on campus.
- All required documentation must be on file in the Residence Life office. Updates to records should be sent to the Residence Life office as soon as possible after respective change takes place (i.e. vaccinations are updated).
- All pets must live with their owners.
- All dogs and cats must be housebroken before arriving on campus.
- Pets, with the exception of fish, are only allowed inside the designated residence hall – Pets are prohibited in all other buildings on campus.
- Owners must ensure their pet is not being neglected, harmed, or living in an unclean space.
- No pet is allowed to become a nuisance to the members of the Truman community. A nuisance includes, but is not limited to: excessive noise, physical harm to humans or other animals, destruction of property, etc.
- Pets that fight, bite, and/or physically attack other animals or humans will not be tolerated.
Animal Care:
It is the sole responsibility of the pet owner and no other roommate or resident of Pet-Friendly Housing for the care of their pet. Any issues related to a student’s responsibility to provide care for their pet have every potential to result in the loss of pet privileges and the removal of the pet from university housing facilities.
Removal of Pets from Campus
If Residence Life staff determine that a pet is to be removed from campus, the pet owner will be notified and the student has one week to remove the pet from campus. If after one week, the pet is still on campus, a $200 fine will be assessed to the student. Each additional day thereafter will increase the fine by $25 until the pet’s removal. If the pet remains on campus longer than an additional week (2 weeks from the notification of removal), the pet may be removed by Residence Life staff or their designee and will be taken to the Adair County Humane Society Animal Shelter. Any costs associated with removing the pet will be billed to the student.
Pet Waste
Pet owners have the responsibility to immediately clean up waste from a pet and properly dispose of waste in outdoor waste receptacles and dumpsters. Animal waste (feces, cat litter, puppy pads, etc.) that causes an odor that impacts others, including a roommate, is cause for concern and may be addressed through loss of pet privileges. The use of dog waste bags while walking a pet is required at all times. Litterboxes and nesting materials for small caged animals must be cleaned and disposed of in outdoor waste receptacles regularly.
Cage, Crate, Room, and Animal Cleaning
An owner who does not keep a pet in a cage must take personal responsibility for the animal escaping the room. Please note that university staff may enter a room due to a facility or potential student safety issue at any time. If an animal escapes the room as a result, university staff are not liable. For these reasons, it is suggested that animals be caged or crated when the owner is not present. Pet crates and cages, as well as the overall condition of the room, must be kept clean and odor-free at all times. Pets that require bathing must be bathed regularly to prevent odors from disturbing others in the residence community.
Room and Pet Inspections
Residence Life and facility staff have the right to perform room and pet inspections each semester to ensure that pet owners are in compliance with their responsibility to maintain a healthy and positive living environment for themselves, their pet, and fellow residents who live nearby.
Residence Life Closings and Breaks
During break periods when the pet owner is not present, it is expected that the pet be removed from housing. If a pet owner takes an extended absence for personal reasons, the pet is expected to depart with the resident. A pet left unattended for any length of time creates an unhealthy living experience for the pet. A distressed pet may then have a negative impact on other residents. A pet owner who abandons their pet for any length of time deemed unreasonable faces the financial responsibility for a pet being taken to a local animal shelter.
Loss of Pet
Dogs and cats that pass away should be immediately taken to one’s family residence for burial or to a veterinarian for cremation services. Likewise, small caged animals should be buried at an off-campus location. Fish should not be flushed down the toilet as this may cause issues with plumbing, instead, fish should be disposed of in a trash receptacle or buried at an off-campus location. A student whose pet passes away is not required to move out of pet-friendly housing and would not be required to pay the pet free in the spring semester if the pet passes away prior to the start of the spring semester.
Liability Insurance
It is highly recommended, however not required, that students have liability insurance covering any damages, incidents, or accidents the pet may be involved in. You are encouraged to verify with your insurance agent that you have this coverage for your pet that lives with you on campus.
Please note the pet-friendly housing application is separate from requesting accommodations for Service and/or Emotional Support Animals. For information regarding Service/ Emotional Support animals, please contact the Office of Student Access and Disability Services at 660-785-4478 and studentaccess@truman.edu.