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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Home
St. Jude is committed to meeting the needs of people who need help from a service dog.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital understands that your service dog is an important part of your health and well-being. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is trained to perform a task related to a person’s disability. All service dogs at St. Jude must meet this need for their handlers.
All service dogs are evaluated when they first get to St. Jude. It is helpful to call us before bringing a service dog to campus. By calling ahead, you can begin the evaluation process before you arrive and prevent boarding fees if your dog is not approved. You can call 901-595-3300 and ask for the nursing house supervisor. This person evaluates all service dogs that come to St. Jude.
If you are already in the hospital and are thinking about bringing a service dog, ask a staff member to call the nursing house supervisor.
When service dogs are on campus or in St. Jude housing, they must be:
Service dogs must not affect the health, safety, or comfort of St. Jude patients, families, employees, or visitors. To help with this, it is important that you:
St. Jude staff members are not allowed to watch, walk, feed, water, or clean up after your service dog.
If you need a sitter or kennel, you must arrange for the service and pay for it.
Your service dog must relieve itself (pee or poop) outside St. Jude buildings, along the fence around the edge of campus. You must pick up and, if needed, clean up after your service dog. Put the waste in an outside trash can.
If your service dog pees or poops inside a St. Jude building, you must clean up the area. Ask Environmental Services staff for protective gloves and cleaner. Staff will tell you where you can throw away the materials and waste.
Your service dog may be in any St. Jude area where the general public is allowed. This includes waiting rooms, Family Commons and the dining areas. The dog must be under the table when you sit at a cafeteria table.
If your service dog has already been approved and you want to take it into an inpatient area or the intensive care unit (ICU), call your care team first for permission.
If you must go to an area where your service dog is not allowed, St. Jude will provide another room for your dog and a second handler. If you cannot stay with your dog in these situations, you must make other arrangements for your service dog. The Best Upon Request concierge service may be able to provide a list of boarding kennels near the hospital. You will be responsible for cost of these services.
A service dog will be removed from the St. Jude campus if:
If you have questions about St. Jude Service Dog Guidelines, please ask to talk with a nursing house supervisor.