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Animals on Site Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy details the conditions on which animals are permitted to be on a QUT campus or distributed site.

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Section 2 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to all QUT campuses and distributed sites.

(3) This Policy does not apply to specific licensed animals .

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Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Position Responsibility
Director, Campus Services
Determines areas of the University where access is restricted for assistance animals and trainee assistance animals, in accordance with relevant legislation.
Determines conditions for permitting animals, other than assistance animals, on QUT campuses or distributed sites.
Permits animals, other than assistance animals, in non-public areas of QUT in exceptional circumstances after consideration of health and safety risks.
Director, Equity Develops and maintains QUT’s Protocol for Assistance Animals on campus, available on the Disability services webpage (QUT staff access only) and guidance about assistance animals.
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Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards

(4) This Policy assists the University to satisfy the provision of standards within 2.3 Wellbeing and Safety , specifically Standard 2.3.4, “a safe environment is promoted and fostered, including by advising students and staff on actions they can take to enhance safety and security on campus and online”, of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

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Section 5 - Assistance Animals and Trainee Assistance Animals

(5) Certified assistance animals and trainee assistance animals are permitted on University campuses and distributed sites, and in University buildings. However, in accordance with relevant legislation, there are restrictions on access to parts of the University, including health service facilities, places where food is ordinarily prepared, and other areas designated by the Director, Campus Services, as a non-public space.

(6) A handler or approved trainer must maintain control of the assistance animal or trainee assistance animal at all times. A handler of an assistance animal or approved trainer of a trainee assistance animal may be requested to show their identity card or provide evidence that the animal has been appropriately trained, and the assistance animal or trainee assistance animal must display its certification badge where certified under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009. QUT encourages a handler or approved trainer coming onto campus regularly to make contact with the Manager, Security and Emergency Management for ease of access.

(7) In accordance with the relevant legislation and QUT’s procedures, the University may exclude an assistance animal or trainee assistance animal from a University site if that animal’s behaviour poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

(8) Further information is available in the Protocol for Assistance Animals on campus, available from the Disability services webpage (QUT staff access only).

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Section 6 - Animals in Public spaces on Campus

(9) The University acknowledges that its Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses contain thoroughfares and spaces used by the general public. Animals that are not a certified assistance animal are permitted on University campuses on the following conditions:

  1. the animal, for example a dog, is wearing an appropriate leash and official identification at all times and the person is physically capable of controlling the animal;
  2. the animal is not engaging in any behaviour which could reasonably harass, cause damage or other injury to another person or animal;
  3. the animal is not creating a noise annoyance; and
  4. the person in control of the animal cleans up its faeces.

(10) Non-compliance with any of these conditions will result in the person in control of the animal being requested by security staff to remove it from the campus immediately.

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Section 7 - Other Arrangements

(11) Animals, other than assistance animals and trainee assistance animals, are only permitted in the non-public spaces of the campus in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Director, Campus Services and after adequate consideration of any health, safety and operational risks.

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Section 8 - Wildlife on Site

(12) The University’s sites are home to an assortment of wildlife, native and otherwise. Native wildlife is protected by law, but no wildlife on campus should be unnecessarily disturbed. For health and safety reasons, and for the welfare of the animal, wildlife must not be fed. Any issues with wildlife on campus (See the Pest control and wildlife on campus webpage – QUT staff access only), including the reporting of pests or injured animals, should be referred to the Manager, Facilities Services.

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Section 9 - Delegations

(13) There are no delegations made under this Policy.