Individuals who register their service animal with U of T will receive an easily-identifiable TCard sticker, which will notify others that their animal qualifies as a service animal under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Get the TCard sticker at the Accessibility Services Office, 455 Spadina Ave., Room 400.
Possible restrictions on service animals on campus
There may be circumstances where a service animal may need to be excluded from a space due to:
- Health and safety requirements set out in the law;
- An unreasonable or direct threat to the health or safety of others posed by the service animal’s presence, behaviour or actions;
- Situations where the rights or legally protected interests of others, such as accommodations for disability, conflict with the rights of the person needing the service animal;
- Or location-specific safety concerns that arise when considering the presence of a service animal.
Please note the following locations on campus should be carefully considered. It is expected the student in the first instance will approach these sites for discussion well in advance of the arrival of the service animal in the space.
- Cafeterias, Dining Halls: Regulations under Ontario’s Health Protection & Promotion Act state that service animals are permitted in rooms where food is served, sold or offered for sale. However, service animals are restricted from rooms where food is prepared, packaged or handled.
- Laboratories, Medical Clinics, Dental Clinics: Specific campus locations where the presence of a service animal could raise potential safety concerns, and may need to be excluded, include controlled and high hazard environments such as some laboratories, and medical or dental clinics on campus. However, inclusion of a service animal may be possible even in controlled spaces such as laboratories. Individuals accompanied by service animals who will be working in a laboratory or a medical or dental clinic at U of T should speak to the laboratory or clinic supervisor in the first instance.
- Residences and On Campus Housing: It is critical that students living in residence buildings on our campuses inform their residence several weeks prior to moving in that they will be accompanied by a service animal.
Navigating questions or concerns
Where any concerns or challenges arise, please consult Accessibility Services or the AODA office immediately for further consultation and advice. If a service animal is required to be excluded from a space on campus, other arrangements will need to be explored in order to provide reasonable accommodations for the person with a disability, up to the point of undue hardship, so as to allow the person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the University’s services and facilities.
