Page 26 - Winter 2018 Journal

PET PEEVES:
STEPS RESORTS CAN TAKE TO CLARIFY ANIMAL POLICIES

Resorts and their employees should approach policies spur-of-the-moment challenges on busy days
involving animals, including emotional support and service and weekends (the US Forest Service suggests 72
animals, with the utmost sensitivity and understanding hours advance notice, or longer for more unique
of regulations—after all, regulations involving ESAs and accommodations, depending on the disability).
service animals are universally misunderstood. • While not required by law, consider obtaining one
Here are some strategies for resorts to consider: or two crates for ESAs or service dogs as a courtesy
• Create an easy-to-find accessibility tab on the to guests who bring animals to a ski area but cannot
website for a wide variety of accessibility issues and ski or access lifts with their animals.
policies (animals, website accessibility, etc.). • Check out Mt. Bachelor’s thoughtful approach
• Make sure your accessibility website explains policies for pets and service animals. The resort provides a
involving pets, ESAs, service animals, including designated off-leash area for dogs (“Ruffwear Dog
access or restrictions to lodging, restaurants, pools, Park”), including providing bio-degradable waste
parking lots, base area, shuttles, etc. bags for dogs, and rules for animals kept in cars in
• Visit nsaa.org for a template for a service animal their parking lots.
guidelines. You may adopt these in full or edit as • Work with your insurance company to understand
you see fit to create your own policy for animals on if your resort’s insurance coverage extends to
chairlifts, gondolas, mountain trails, tubing etc. ADA lawsuits (many ski areas do not have specific
• Establish one or two point persons (resort employees coverage or special riders to defend such claims).
trained with an eye toward understanding regulations Generally speaking, if a business alters its policies
and sensitivity with families with disabilities), list their prompted by an ADA lawsuit, plaintiffs may recover
contact information for assistance with accessibility/ attorneys fees under the ADA.
disability accommodations. • Work with local disability advocates and groups to
• Establish advance notice requirements for guests seek their input, and annually review resort policies
needing disability accommodations to avoid impacting guests with disabilities.—DB

24 | NSAA JOURNAL | WINTER 2018