2026 Young Adult Retreat

By signing below I agree to the following guidelines for bringing a service animal to family camp and acknowledge that I may be charged fees for any damages caused by my service animal. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for allowing service animals at the Community of Christ campgrounds in the Michigan Mission Center. Although religious organizations and entities controlled by religious organizations are exempt from ADA regulations, the Combined Campgrounds Executive Committee has approved this policy that parallels those regulations in accordance with those of the State of Michigan. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Campground hosts and event directors may ask if the dog is a service animal required because of a disability and what work or task the dog has been trained to perform. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify under the ADA as service animals and are subject to the Michigan Mission Center Campground Pet Policy. Those who bring service animals to our campgrounds are welcome to fully participate in all activities. Service dogs will be allowed to accompany their handlers as needed, in all campground spaces, with the expectation that the following guidelines are adhered to: The service animal is a dog trained to perform tasks for a person with disabilities. Service animals must be well-behaved and always under the control of their handler. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless their handler’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animals safe, effective performance of tasks. (In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.) Service animals should not be allowed to bark repeatedly or make excessive noises unless that is a task the dog is trained to do to alert their handler. Service animals should not be allowed on campground furniture unless it is doing a task that it is trained to do. Handlers are required to clean up after their animal. This includes immediately and properly disposing of all pet waste/fecal matter. Handlers are encouraged to have their dog in a vest or somehow identified as a service dog to prevent people approaching the animal while working. With the handler’s approval, the campground host or event director will announce the presence of the service animal at the event. If a service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, it is not housebroken or poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, the campground host or event director may request that the animal be removed from the premises. If a service animal is removed, the owner may participate without the animal present. Campground hosts and event directors may consider exceptions to this policy to accommodate unique events and situations.