Pet Friendly Floor

Interested in living in the Pet Friendly Community? Let us know on your student housing license and request form (there is a section addressing Pet Friendly Community) and then complete the Application Process addressed below. The Pet Friendly Community is open to all students that go through the application process and are approved to live in the community. This community will have a supplemental fee to provide additional support and programming for students in this community.

 

SUNY Delhi has developed the following policy and agreement which allows for pet-friendly College housing facilities as designated by the Office of Residence Life. 

In cases of assistance animals or service animals, please contact the Office of Access & Equity:  vastagm@delhi.edu  (607) 746-4744.

Application and Approval Process for Pet

A pet application will need to be completed and approved by the Office of Residence Life prior to bringing the pet to campus.

In addition to the application, the owner will need to provide the following:

  1. A completed Housing License for the following Academic Year.
  2. All students MUST have an active relationship with a regular veterinarian. The Veterinary Technology Program is NOT AVAILABLE to provide veterinary or emergency care of your animal.
  3. Student must provide veterinary records that include the following:
    1. current Rabies for ALL dogs, cats, and ferrets
    2. current DHLPP for dogs;
    3. FVRCP for cats
    4. Distemper for ferrets
    5. Bordetella
    6. Tick prevention
    7. Flea prevention
    8. Pet’s weight
    9. Heartworm prevention is heavily recommended
    10. Deemed apparently healthy by the pet’s DVM with UTD physical exam
  4. Provide a current picture of the pet.

Provide a local veterinarian/clinic contact information to provide emergency care, if medically indicated

After initial approval, your pet must be registered annually with the Office of Residence Life.

Categories and Number of Permitted Pets

  1. Approved Pets are limited to:
    1. cat or dog, with certain limitations (see below)
    2. 2 small caged animals (limited to: rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, mice, and rats)
    3. Small fish tanks under 10 gallons with fish are permitted and not subject to this policy
  2. A maximum of 1 dog or cat is permitted per resident.
  3. A maximum of 2 small caged animals of the same species per resident.
  4. Limitations
    1. Dogs must weigh 80 pounds or less.
    2. All pets permitted under this policy must be indoor, domesticated, and not aggressive.
    3. Any non-caged animals are limited to one per room.
  5. Overnight pet “guests” and pet-sitting are not permitted.

Pet Regulations

  1. Owners must comply with any and all laws and municipal regulations regarding pet ownership.
  2. All cats, dogs, and ferrets must have current vaccinations and documentation (i.e. tags and records) in accordance with the Village of Delhi regulations, and a current photo on file with the Office of Residence Life. Tags should also include owner name and contact information. Information on the Village regulations can be obtained here. (Dogs must be licensed in the Village of Delhi. This documentation that the dog is licensed must be provided within one week of the dog arriving on campus. To license your dog, please contact the Village Clerk at 607-746-3737.)
  3. Pets shall not be kept, bred, or used for any commercial purpose. The College recommends that all cats and dogs be spayed/neutered by six months of age unless the procedure is deemed medically unsafe by a veterinarian.
  4. In the event that a pet is not being properly cared for, the Office of Residence Life will contact the Owner or the pet’s emergency contact to remove the pet. If this is not successful, the Office of Residence Life will notify the Village of Delhi Animal Control Officer and the pet may be removed. Any cost for removing the pet if the Owner is not present, and arrangements have not been made by the Owner for the pet to be removed or cared for, shall be the responsibility of the Owner. The College additionally reserves the right to remove the pet without the involvement of the Village of Delhi Animal Control Officer.
  5. The pet must be under the control of the Owner, such as on a leash or in a carrier, when being transported to and from the Owner’s room. The Owner is responsible at all times for the actions of their pet inside and outside of the residence hall.
  6. Pets must not be taken inside any other building outside of the owner’s residence hall and is not permitted on other floors in the residence hall.
  7. Pets or their waste must not be taken to any common area in the residence hall at any time. This includes, but is not limited to lounges, bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
  8. When dogs/cats are left unattended in the Owner’s room, they are required to be stored in a crate, carrier, or kennel. Small caged pets must be secured in their cage when left unattended.
  9. Owner must confine, restrain, or maintain control over the pet during room inspections and maintenance visits. This containment will allow College officials to routinely access the residential facilities for maintenance and other routine tasks without posing a risk to the pet or College staff.
  10. Roommates are in no way responsible for the care or maintenance of their roommate’s pets.
  11. The Office of Residence Life strongly recommends that dogs receive obedience training.
  12. Cats must be trained to use a litter box. Dogs must be housebroken. Small caged pet waste must be contained within the cage or appropriate litter box. All pet waste must be disposed of in trash dumpsters outside of the residence hall. Sinks in kitchens and bathrooms may not be used to clean litter boxes or small pet cages. Trash rooms may not be used for pet waste.
  13. Owner is responsible for cleaning up all pet waste (both indoors and outdoors). Owners must remove feces, dispose of it in a plastic bag in an outside garbage dumpster. Cleanup must occur immediately.
  14. Owner must take adequate precautions to eliminate any pet odors within or around the premises and to maintain the premises in a sanitary condition at all times. Owner is responsible for regular and routine cleaning of floors, kennels, cages, and litter boxes. The odor of a pet emanating beyond the boundaries of the room is not acceptable and may result is the removal of the animal.
  15. Flea infestation must be attended to promptly in consultation with college staff. Any applicable pest or rodent treatment caused by the pet will occur at the owner’s expense.
  16. Owners must monitor the pet’s behavior and noise levels to prevent frequent howling, yelping, barking, or other disturbances to neighbors. Pets must not disrupt the community (e.g., barking, howling, etc.). Inability to control the pet may result in its removal.
  17. If a pet is involved in an incident where a person experiences either the threat of or an actual injury as a result of the pet’s behavior, the pet is subject to removal at the discretion of the Director of Residence Education or their designee.
  18. The pet owner will take all reasonable precautions to protect the property of the College and the residents.
  19. The Owner will notify a professional staff member in the Office of Residence Life if the pet has escaped its confines and is unable to be located within two (2) hours.
  20. Continued standards of cleanliness, as related to health issues, are expected. Owners have an obligation to make sure that the residence hall room is as clean as the original standard. This includes thoroughly cleaning and vacuuming carpets, floors, fabric window coverings, and College furniture. Additional cleaning fees may be charged to the Owner for cleaning that requires additional resources. The condition of the residence hall room will be assessed periodically throughout the Academic Year. If an inspection reveals pet damage or an unsanitary condition, the Owner is financially responsible and will be charged for the full cost of cleaning, materials, repairs, and labor.
  21. Any direction to remove the animal by the college must be followed through within 24 hours.

Fire Alarms

Student safety is at the forefront of the College’s priorities. While the College takes continual preventative measures towards fire prevention, the chance of fire in a residence hall is always present. All traditional evacuation procedures and policies apply to pet Owners. In the event of a fire alarm activation, pet Owners located within the residence hall at the time of activation should remove their pet from the building via the nearest exit (if it can be done so safely). When evacuating pets, the owner must leash or kennel dogs, place cats in an appropriate carrier, or carry the small caged pet’s enclosure out of the building. This will help prevent stressed, loose animals from escaping. As with any emergency, fire department and police personnel have authority at the scene of a fire alarm activation. All pet Owners should not enter any situation that would jeopardize the safety of themselves or others. Under no circumstance should a resident enter or re-enter a building during a fire alarm activation.

Fire alarm drills do occur throughout the year; pet owners will not be made aware of these in advance.

Rooms and Room Changes

All room changes must be approved by the Residence Hall Director prior to the room change taking place. Should a student wish to leave the Pet Friendly Floor, the Pet Friendly Floor related privileges will be revoked, and all agreements will be deemed void. Unless the pet is approved as an assistance/service animal, no pet will be permitted to reside anywhere outside the approved Pet Friendly Floor.

College Breaks

All College breaks and vacations that are applicable to residential students must be followed including departure for breaks by pets and their owners. No pets may be left on campus over breaks unless special written permission is obtained.      

Damages, Safety and Other Concerns

The College is not responsible for any pet on the property, including any injury that may occur to or is caused by the pet. The Owner is financially responsible for any property damage, bodily injury or personal injury caused by the pet. The College recommends the Owner have renters insurance or other personal liability insurance that includes coverage for damage done by the pet. The Owner will hold the College harmless in the event the pet goes missing and for any and all claims, legal actions, damages, costs and fees related to bodily injury or property damage caused by the pet.

If the College, in its sole discretion, determines that the pet is causing damage, unsanitary conditions, or is a nuisance or threat to the safety or security of any person or property, or the Owner is in violation of these policies, the College may require the Owner to remove the pet from the premises. Failure to remove the pet after the College’s request for removal, shall be considered a violation of the Housing License and is grounds for termination with no refund given. Pets which constitute a nuisance or are a danger to other residents, as determined by the Director of Residence Life or their designee, must be removed immediately after notification by the Director of Residence Education or their designee. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the College to the foregoing remedy if the Owner is in violation of these policies.

Vacating the Residence Hall Room and Damages

When the Owner moves out of their residence hall room, or no longer owns the pet, the Office of Residence Life staff will complete a checkout with the Owner. Any costs for damages caused by the pet are the responsibility of the Owner.

Questions?
Office of Admissions

118 Bush Hall