Animal Policy

Animal Policy at Ameraucana Farms

Ameraucana Farms is a working farm. It is open to students and families to share the joy of nature, love of farm life and to educate and enhance patrons' lives. Ameraucana Farms supports taking all measures in compliance with the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), RCW 49.60, and will ensure reasonable accommodations are provided when practicable. This policy applies to the use of service animals, guide animals, and other animals on and around the premises of Ameraucana Farms.

With that said, we have a biosecurity program in place in order to protect our animals and yours. Animals brought in from outside our farm could potentially bring disease or worms or some other foreign body that could cause substantial harm to our animals and vice versa, costing us tens of thousands of dollars invested in our animal and produce programs.

Furthermore, we have animals as part of our animal experience who are natural prey of dogs, cats, and other animals. The presence of an unfamiliar canine, feline, miniature horse, bird, or other service animal, as defined in RCW 49.60.040, could cause those animals to behave erratically and become agitated. This would pose an immediate threat to the patrons interacting with those animals, especially small children. 

  • Animals other than service animals, will be asked to leave the farm. Pets, emotional support animals, therapy animals, and companion animals are not recognized as trained, service animals.

  • Disability includes a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The task or work performed by the service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. 

  • Individuals will not be asked to provide details or documentation of a disability; however, if the disability is not known, the handler will be asked the following questions to confirm the animal is a service animal:

    • “Is the animal a service animal required for a disability?”

    • “What work or task has the service animal been trained to do?”

  • If the animal is confirmed as a service animal you will be informed of the following:

    • Areas that are open to the handler and service animal

      • Areas away from garden beds, green houses, orchards, and animal housing are available to service animals.

    • Location of hand washing areas

      • Hand washing is available next to the portable restrooms by the exit gates. 

  • Areas that the service animal can eliminate waste

    • There is a designated area next to the portable restrooms for this. Bags and a trash can is available on the property for disposing of waste. 

  • Policies at the farm specific to service animals

    • Service animals should always be under the control of their handler, including both physical and voice control. 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. Service animals have been trained on how to perform a service to their handler and should be focused on that task.

    • If the service animal is behaving in a way that indicates they are not under the control of their handler, or if the handler is unable to control the animal, you will be asked to leave. Examples of this type of behavior would be: consumption of produce, urination, marking, or defecation in the garden or greenhouse areas, excessive barking, or aggressive behavior. 

    • Handlers may be asked to provide documentation or certification that the service animal is trained to perform certain tasks. Training includes more than obedience training or meeting positive reinforcement needs of the handler. (There is currently no state or federal registry or certification process mandated for service animals, so presentation of documentation is not the only factor in allowing the use of service animals). 

    • The service animal is providing a service and is working; therefore, handlers must communicate permission or denial for other patrons or staff to touch, pet, speak to, feed, or otherwise disturb their service animal. 

    • Handlers, including owners, must ensure that their service animal has proper registration, licensing, and updated vaccinations in accordance with local, county, and state laws.

  • If the animal is not a service animal, you will be asked to remove the animal from the property.

  • If you refuse to leave the property, the police may be called and the event will be documented for recordkeeping and safety purposes.

  • If you need special accommodations due to this policy, please contact us in advance, and we will see what other options may be available to aid in your visits.

 Thank you for your understanding.


EXCLUSION OF SERVICE ANIMALS (from ADA website)

Q25. When can service animals be excluded?

A. The ADA does not require covered entities to modify policies, practices, or procedures if it would “fundamentally alter” the nature of the goods, services, programs, or activities provided to the public.  Nor does it overrule legitimate safety requirements.  If admitting service animals would fundamentally alter the nature of a service or program, service animals may be prohibited.  In addition, if a particular service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or if it is not housebroken, that animal may be excluded.

Q26. When might a service dog’s presence fundamentally alter the nature of a service or program provided to the public?

A. In most settings, the presence of a service animal will not result in a fundamental alteration.  However, there are some exceptions.  For example, at a boarding school, service animals could be restricted from a specific area of a dormitory reserved specifically for students with allergies to dog dander.  At a zoo, service animals can be restricted from areas where the animals on display are the natural prey or natural predators of dogs, where the presence of a dog would be disruptive, causing the displayed animals to behave aggressively or become agitated.