BY ALLISON GAINER

As faculty, we often find ourselves balancing pedagogy, policy, and student support. For students with disabilities, that support sometimes includes service dogs. These working animals are not pets or conveniences. They are medically necessary tools for independence, mobility, and safety. And yet, many of us have never been trained to support students who rely on them, especially in hands-on learning environments like labs, fieldwork, or clinical placements. Without guidance, even well-intentioned faculty can find themselves unsure of how to respond, which can lead to exclusion, frustration, and conflict. The need for training is real, and the impact of its absence can be profound.

A Researcher’s Experience: When Policy Falls Short

Joey Ramp and service dog Sampson. Ramp’s brain injury and nerve damage meant that she
needed a service dog in the lab, and roadblocks ended her PhD pursuit.

Joey Ramp, a neuroscientist and former PhD student, experienced this firsthand. After a traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and mobility issues, she returned to academia with her service dog, Sampson. Instead of support, she encountered hesitation and resistance. Lab environments were deemed too hazardous. Administrators and faculty voiced concerns about contamination, distractions, and liability. Despite federal protections under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Joey was repeatedly told that Sampson could not accompany her into the lab. She advocated fiercely, but rather than completing her PhD, Joey made the difficult decision to leave her research program altogether. Now, she has turned that painful experience into a new mission. Joey has launched her own consulting business, advocating for policy reform and helping institutions develop inclusive practices for service dog users. She receives inquiries from students and faculty across the globe and regularly gives talks to universities about navigating accessibility in research environments. Her shift from science to advocacy underscores the deep structural issues that still exist in higher education.

What Service Dogs Actually Do, and Why That Matters

A service dog might detect a seizure before it happens, guide a handler with visual impairments, provide psychiatric support during a panic attack, or assist with mobility in labs with narrow walkways and uneven flooring. These dogs are trained to remain calm and focused in high-stress, high-stakes environments. For example, a chemistry student with type 1 diabetes might rely on their service dog to detect blood sugar fluctuations during long lab hours. A student with PTSD could require deep pressure therapy from their dog to remain grounded during class discussions. A nursing student with epilepsy might need their service dog to alert them before a seizure, allowing time to notify an instructor and ensure their safety. In all of these cases, the dog is not a distraction or a burden—it is what makes the student’s presence possible.

Faculty Uncertainty: A Barrier to Access

Many faculty are willing to help, but the lack of clear policies and training leaves them in a difficult position. What happens when a student brings a service dog into a shared clinical space, or when safety protocols in a lab seem to conflict with the presence of an animal? Often, institutions respond with hesitation or outright denials. Faculty may feel they are protecting the integrity of the program or ensuring safety, but these decisions can unintentionally violate students’ rights or push them out of their field entirely. What’s missing is not care, but clarity. Faculty need proactive training, especially in disciplines that involve hands-on work. We need to understand the legal framework, the realities of service dog work, and, most importantly, how to engage in collaborative problem-solving with students and disability services.

Who’s Doing It Well: Learning from Leading Institutions

Some universities are already modeling inclusive practices. The University of New Mexico’s chemistry department, for example, created a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure for service dogs in labs. Their protocol addresses PPE, contamination control, and safety planning without excluding the student. The University of South Carolina provides another example. A student’s service dog, Winnie, is a visible and celebrated part of campus life, even participating in the university marching band. Rather than treating inclusion as an exception, these institutions have embedded it into their culture. These models show that with the right mindset and tools, inclusion is not only possible, but practical.

What Faculty Can Do Now

If you are a faculty member wondering how to support students who use service dogs, here are a few steps to get started:

• Contact your campus disability services office for guidance specific to your program.
• Advocate for department-wide training during faculty development days.
• Encourage your institution to adopt formal service dog protocols for hands-on learning environments.
• When in doubt, ask questions and approach conversations with empathy and curiosity.

The Bottom Line

Students who use service dogs are already doing the work of navigating disability in a system that was not designed with them in mind. Faculty have an opportunity to ease that burden by being informed, open, and proactive. The most powerful lesson we can offer as educators is that inclusion matters. Let’s ensure that our classrooms, labs, and clinical settings reflect that value not just in policy, but in practice.

If you have ever felt uncertain about how to handle service-dog inclusion in your academic space, you are not alone. Many educators want to do the right thing but worry about getting it wrong. A good place to start is understanding your campus policy and building relationships with your disability services office. Ask questions. Be willing to learn. And when a student with a service dog enters your space, meet them not with hesitation, but with respect.

Because for that student, walking into your classroom might take every ounce of courage they have. Let them know they belong. Not just by what you say, but by what you do when no one is watching. That is where inclusion lives, in the quiet, everyday choices that say, “You are welcome here.”

Allison Gainer is a licensed associate counselor, EdD candidate, and dedicated advocate for service dog accessibility, disability rights, and inclusive education.