Pets/Service Animals in the Library

Pets are not permitted in the Library for health and safety reasons, service animals are not permitted in the Library unless they meet the following criteria:

1. 1. The service animal is part of a Library sanctioned program which has previously been announced to the public.
   2. Is a Service Animal or Service Animal in Training:
      1. The Center Moriches Free Public Library will comply with all Federal, State and/or local laws pertaining to Service Animals; service animal are defined by the AA as working animals (not pets) that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks/duties for persons with disabilities
      2. Service Animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the service animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls;
      3. The Library and Staff may not:
         1. require proof that the service animal is certified;
         2. ask about the person’s disability;
         3. require medical documentation;
         4. ask that the service animal demonstrate its ability to perform its work or task;
         5. deny access or refuse service due to other patrons’ allergies or fear of the service animal. (Reasonable accommodations for both the patron with the service animal and the patron with allergy or fear of a service animal must be made).
      4. The Library and Staff may only ask:
         1. “Is the service animal required because of a disability?”
         2. “What work or task has the service animal been trained to perform?”
      5. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his/her service animal from the premises unless:
         1. the service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it;
         2. the service animal is not housebroken
         3. The service animal demonstrates disruptive, agitated or aggressive behavior including but not limited to barking, whining, biting, growling, jumping, scratching, sniffing or any harassment of Library staff or patrons
   3. If there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain services without the animal’s presence.

Pets/Service Animal in Cars

If there is a report of an animal in a car with windows that are closed shut or not open enough to assure safe habitation,  the procedure is to notify Security and collectively, Security and staff will try and expeditiously locate the car owner within the Library. If the owner is not found, 911 will be called. 

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 5/21/18 and revised on 6/8/26