Animal Policy

(Adopted by the Library Board on August 28, 2017.)

St. Louis County Library recognizes that some patrons with disabilities may have service animals which are trained to assist or accommodate a person’s disability and to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. St. Louis County Library follows federal and state laws regarding the use of service animals.

No pets or animals other than service animals (as defined below) or animals used in conjunction with Library programming are permitted at any St. Louis County Library facilities. Federal law defines “service animal” as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”

Individuals with disabilities may bring their service animals into all areas of the library where members of the public are normally allowed to go. All service animals must be under the full custody and control of their handler or owner at all times. Handlers and owners of the service animals are solely responsible for the supervision and care of the service animals. Therefore, handlers and owners must keep the service animal directly with them at all times.

A person may be asked to remove the service animal from the library facility if the service animal behaves in a way that poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other patrons, has a history of such behavior, or is not under the control of the handler or owner. In such a case, the individual will still have the option to access library services without having the service animal on the premises. Fear of allergies, annoyance on the part of other patrons or employees, and fear of animals are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people with service animals.