§ 53G-9-211 — Therapy animal handling -- Policy.

(1) As used in this section:

(1)(a) "Animal-assisted intervention" means an intervention designed to promote improvement in an individual's physical, social, emotional, or cognitive functioning through interactions with a specially trained animal.
(1)(b) "Local education agency" means a school district or charter school.
(1)(c) (1)(c)(i) "Therapy animal" means an animal that:

(1)(c)(i)(A) provides affection and comfort to an individual for emotional support;
(1)(c)(i)(B) is accompanied by a therapy animal handler; and
(1)(c)(i)(C) is trained to provide animal-assisted intervention.
(1)(c)(ii) "Therapy animal" does not include a service animal or support animal as those terms are defined in Section 26B-6-801.
(1)(d) "Therapy animal handler" means an individual who is trained to handle a therapy animal for animal-assisted interventions.
(2) (2)(a) If a school within a local education agency provides animal-assisted interventions through therapy animals, the local education agency shall adopt a policy for proper handling of a therapy animal on school grounds.
(2)(b) The policy described in Subsection (2)(a) shall include:
(2)(b)(i) local or national certification or registration requirements for a therapy animal and therapy animal handler;
(2)(b)(ii) guidelines for when a therapy animal and therapy animal handler are allowed on school grounds;
(2)(b)(iii) notice requirements for parents, students, and school faculty and staff regarding the use of a therapy animal on school grounds; and
(2)(b)(iv) guidelines to prevent students and staff who have an animal allergy or are uncomfortable around animals from interacting with a therapy animal on school grounds.
(3) This section does not require a school to allow the use of a therapy animal.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 328, 2023 General Session