In compliance with the New Mexico Service Animal Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande (SJRG) to allow persons with disabilities to be accompanied by their “qualified service animals” in all places open to the public including into the church proper and into meeting rooms and other facilities used by parish members.

For purposes of this policy, a “qualified service animal” is defined as a service dog or service miniature horse that is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

Examples include hearing dogs, guide dogs for the visually impaired, psychiatric service animals, seizure alert animals, and allergen alert animals. “Qualified service animals” do not include emotional support animals, comfort animals, or therapy animals that may provide a sense of safety, companionship, and comfort but are not individually trained to perform specific tasks for their handlers.

A person accompanied by a qualified service animal shall not be asked about his or her disability and shall not be asked to produce certification, identification, or other proof of the service animal’s training or status. The person may only be asked whether the animal is a service animal and what tasks it performs for him or her.

A service animal may be excluded if it poses a direct threat to health and safety (for example, if a dog is aggressively barking and snapping at other people), is not housebroken, or is out of control and the handler is unable or unwilling to control it. The disabled person is still entitled to enter the premises however even if his or her service animal is excluded.

Approved:   Pastor Msgr. Lambert J. Luna 
                     Pastoral Council Chair, Diana E. Clokey

Date: January 21, 2019