Dogs on Campus
To provide guidance for staff and learners who bring dogs onto Otago Polytechnic Limited (ltd) Campuses and to Otago Polytechnic Ltd activities.
While Otago Polytechnic Ltd welcomes dogs on campus it is important that the dogs do not cause a nuisance or hazard and any potential issues such as, but not limited to, allergic reactions or fear are minimised.
NOTE: Service Dogs are exempt from this policy
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and all subsequent amendments.
1. Having a dog on site is a privilege - all staff and learners wanting to bring dogs to Otago Polytechnic Ltd are required to adhere to this policy.
2. Dogs on Otago Polytechnic Limited sites, vehicles or on field trips, must be under supervision, have access to water and shade, and kept under appropriate control by their owner at all times, either on a lead in areas around campus, confined in a crate or by use of a barrier.
3. Dogs may also be allowed to occupy shared office spaces, but only if all staff and learners who share the space are agreeable.
3.1. Dog owners will also seek permission from any new staff member starting in the work area and acknowledge that this may result in a change of conditions for the dog being on campus.
3.2. Any issues or concerns with a dog in a shared office space will be dealt with by the formal leader of the area where the dog is present.
4. With the exception of Veterinary Nursing School clinics (refer clause 4.1), it is not desirable to allow dogs in classroom due to the potential disruption and difficulty in gaining every person’s consent.
4.1. Dogs have been approved to be on campus in the School of Veterinary Nursing under the Otago University Animal Ethics Committee approval and permitted to be on campus as part of learning and teaching.
4.2. School of Veterinary Nursing staff are subject to all aspects of this policy.
5. Dogs are not permitted in any spaces where food is prepared.
6. Owners and their dogs are to move on, without question, if they are approached by staff or learners advising that they, or someone else in the area, feels uneasy with the presence of the dog in the same location.
7. Any dog that is not under control, causes a health and safety related concern, or has an instance of unsatisfactory animal behavior, such as but not limited to exhibiting signs of aggressive or confrontational behavior to another dog or person will be subject to DCC Dog Control Laws, may be removed from the premises and no longer allowed on an Otago Polytechnic Ltd site.
8. In the case of any damage to Otago Polytechnic Ltd property caused by the dog, the owner is liable for payment of cleaning, repair, or replacement, following discussion and agreement with the Formal Leader.
9. As dogs will come into contact with other people at Otago Polytechnic Ltd the dog owner is responsible for communicating with and educating people about the presence of the dog and the behaviour expected in relation to the dog.
10. All staff and learners are asked to support this policy and if non-compliance is observed, you are encouraged to:
10.1. Ask the person to remove the dog from campus immediately; and
Report the non-compliance through Vault, the online safety management system, which will initiate a log, follow up and investigation as appropriate.
Policies:
- Accident Incident Injury and Illness – reporting and rehabilitation - Policy
- Hazard Management - Policy
- Critical Incident and Emergency Management - Policy
