Service Animals and Emotional Support Pets

We understand how important service, therapy animals, emotional support animals and pets are in the healing process. Memorial Healthcare System has initiated new guidelines to promote a positive visit into our facilities, please refer to the chart below.

Animal Guidelines

Covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and recognized by the Department of Justice, Federal Law, State Law and Memorial Healthcare System.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes. Has received extensive training and recognized by Memorial Healthcare System and meets specific criteria.
• Emotional Support/Pet: No

Trained on specific tasks to keep individuals with disabilities independent.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: No

Trained to assist just one person.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes. Has multiple handlers but only one handler controls the therapy animal at a time.
• Emotional Support/Pet: No

May stay with a patient overnight.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: No
• Emotional Support/Pet: No

Needs to tolerate a wide range of environments and experiences.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: No

There are areas in our hospitals animals are not allowed to go, such as Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Hematology/Oncology and Transplant Units, and other areas due to special situations or circumstances as indicated by facility or unit leadership.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes

Must have prior approval to visit a patient or enter Memorial Healthcare System.

• Service Animal: No
• Therapy Animals: Yes. Must have approval by the patient or family.
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes. Must have advance approval of the nurse manager or designee of the unit being visited. Twenty-four-hour notification and approval is preferred.

Only one animal allowed with a patient.

• Service Animal: Yes. On rare occasions there may be justification for the owner or handler to have two service animals.
• Therapy Animals: Yes. There are times that the therapy animal interacts with multiple individuals at a time.
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes

Must have good behavior at all times, including no uncontrolled barking, growling, running around, or jumping on people. If not, the animal will need to be removed. The healthcare system has the right to remove any animal that poses a threat or harm in any facility.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes

Must be clean, free of ticks, with no open skin lesions, and no coughing, vomiting, or diarrhea.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes

Animals are strongly discouraged from staying on the patient’s bed if the patient has open or healing wounds or other health issues identified by medical or nursing staff.

• Service Animal: Strongly discouraged from staying on the bed to help prevent patient infection and other medical issues.
• Therapy Animals: Strongly discouraged from staying on the bed to help prevent patient infection and other medical issues.
• Emotional Support/Pet: Strongly discouraged from staying on the bed to help prevent patient infection and other medical issues.

Appropriate measures need to be taken if the animal is on a patient’s bed. The patient needs to clean their hands before and after the visit.

• Service Animal: Yes
• Therapy Animals: Yes
• Emotional Support/Pet: Yes