Service Animal Accommodation
The Buck Institute is committed to providing appropriate service animal accommodations in accordance with applicable regulations. However, as a basic research institution working with sensitive model organisms including mice, worms, and flies, it must carefully control its environment to protect research integrity. Animal dander can introduce variables that may adversely affect these organisms and compromise experimental outcomes, making adherence to a clear service animal accommodation policy essential.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals attending events open to the public at The Buck Institute’s facilities will be permitted to bring service dogs on site.
Service dogs must be individually trained to work or perform tasks that assist an individual with a disability. Service dogs will not be permitted in any area that is not open to the public, including our research laboratories.
Service dogs must remain under the control of their handler at all times. The Buck reserves the right to remove from the premises any service dog that is not effectively controlled by its handler, or that is not housebroken.
Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate animals that generally provide emotional support or comfort to their handlers, if they have not been trained to work or perform tasks to assist an individual with a disability.
If you have any questions about our standard practices with respect to service animals,
please contact Events@Buckinstitute.org or 415-209-2001.
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Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), when it is not obvious that a dog is a service animal, staff or businesses may only ask two specific questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
These questions are designed to verify the dog’s status without violating privacy laws.