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  Vaccination & Spay/Neuter Policies  

This policy applies to every dog that takes part in a LECA Academy program. It is incorporated by reference into the LECA Client Enrollment Agreement, and by enrolling your dog you agree to it. Where this policy and the Enrollment Agreement differ, the Enrollment Agreement controls.

 

Scope. The vaccination rules in Sections 1–3 apply to all Services. The spay/neuter rules in Sections 4–7 apply to LECA's group programs — the dog school, boarding, group classes, the Jump-Start program, and any other program in which dogs share space — and do not apply to private one-on-one training or grooming.

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1. REQUIRED VACCINATIONS

All dogs must be current on the following vaccines before participating in any LECA program:

  • DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus) — required

  • Bordetella (kennel cough) — required annually; every six months is recommended

  • Rabies — required, as New Jersey law also requires

  • Canine Influenza — recommended but not required

 

Vaccine frequency and booster schedules are determined by your veterinarian based on your dog's age, health, and the type of vaccine used. LECA defers to your veterinarian on vaccine timing within these requirements. We track due dates in our system and will notify you when a vaccine is approaching expiration.

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2. VACCINE RECORDS, TITERS, AND EXEMPTIONS

Proof of vaccination. Vaccination records from a licensed veterinarian are required. With your permission, LECA may contact your veterinary office directly to obtain records. Records may also be submitted by email or brought to the facility.

 

Titer exception — DHPP only. In place of the DHPP vaccine, LECA will accept a blood titer test from a licensed veterinarian confirming adequate antibody levels for distemper and parvovirus. A titer showing insufficient levels does not qualify. Current titer documentation must be on file before your dog's first admission and on each renewal. Titers are not accepted in place of Rabies or Bordetella: rabies vaccination is required by New Jersey law, and a titer does not demonstrate protection against Bordetella.

 

Rabies medical exemption. A dog that cannot be vaccinated against rabies for medical reasons may be admitted only with a current rabies exemption certificate issued by a licensed New Jersey veterinarian in the form recognized by the New Jersey Department of Health.

 

LECA may decline to admit an exempt dog to group programs at its discretion.

 

Lapsed vaccines. Dogs whose vaccines have lapsed will not be admitted until updated records are provided. LECA will make reasonable efforts to give advance notice.

 

3. PUPPIES

Puppy class and puppy program. Puppies may join LECA's puppy class and puppy-only program once they have completed their second round of core vaccines (typically at approximately 12 weeks of age). Puppy participants interact only with other puppies and with adult dogs confirmed current on all vaccines.

 

Mixed-age programs. Before joining the dog school, boarding, or any program that mixes puppies with adult dogs, a puppy must also have its rabies vaccination on file.

 

A commonly followed puppy vaccination schedule is: 8 weeks — DHPP #1 and Bordetella #1; 12 weeks — DHPP #2 and Bordetella #2; 16 weeks — DHPP #3 and Rabies. Individual schedules vary; discuss timing with your veterinarian.

 

4. SPAY AND NEUTER REQUIREMENT

All dogs over 12 months of age must be spayed or neutered to take part in LECA's group programs.

 

This requirement exists because intact dogs — males and females — change group dynamics. Intact males can provoke competitive or territorial responses from other dogs; intact females can trigger conflict among other dogs and cannot safely attend while in season. These dynamics create avoidable risk for the other dogs, our staff, and your own dog.

 

Proof. A veterinary record confirming the procedure is required at enrollment for any dog over 12 months of age. A dog enrolled before 12 months of age must provide proof within 30 days after its first birthday, or qualify for the exception in Section 6; otherwise the dog is suspended from group programs until proof is provided. Private training and grooming remain available.

 

Clients who do not plan to spay or neuter their dog are welcome to use LECA's private one-on-one training services. Most group daycare facilities in the region maintain a similar policy.

 

5. INTACT FEMALES IN SEASON

An intact female — including one admitted under the exception in Section 6 — may not attend any group program or boarding from the first sign of heat until 14 days after all signs (swelling and discharge) have ended. Owners must notify LECA as soon as heat begins. If signs of heat are observed at the facility, LECA will contact the owner for same-day pickup and the session is charged as attended. Boarding reservations that fall within a heat cycle are subject to the standard cancellation policy in the Enrollment Agreement.

 

6. HEALTH EXCEPTION — INTACT DOGS UNDER 18 MONTHS

LECA recognizes that some veterinarians recommend delaying spay or neuter, particularly for larger breeds. An intact dog between 12 and 18 months of age may be admitted to group programs on a case-by-case basis if all of the following are satisfied:

  • A licensed veterinarian has provided a written statement of the medical reason for delaying the procedure and the recommended timing;

  • The owner agrees to complete the procedure by the recommended date and, in any event, before the dog reaches 18 months of age; and

  • None of the behaviors described in Section 7 are present.

 

This exception is granted at LECA's discretion, may be revoked at any time if disqualifying behaviors develop or the conditions above are no longer met, and ends when the dog reaches 18 months of age. It does not apply to dogs over 18 months, regardless of veterinary recommendation.

 

7. BEHAVIORAL DISQUALIFICATION

Regardless of age or spay/neuter status, LECA may deny, suspend, or end a dog's participation in group programs for behavior that creates risk to other dogs, staff, or visitors, including:

  • Persistent mounting or humping that continues after staff redirection;

  • Neck-biting, pinning, or repeatedly targeting or fixating on a specific dog;

  • Guarding food, toys, space, or people in a way that provokes conflict;

  • Escalating play that requires staff to separate the dog repeatedly; or

  • Any other behavior that, in the judgment of LECA staff, creates an unsafe environment.

 

Behavioral decisions are made by LECA staff. Clients will be notified of the behavior observed and may discuss the decision with management. Where appropriate, LECA may recommend private training as a path back to group programs.

 

8. SERVICE ANIMALS

Access. Trained service animals accompanying a person with a disability are welcome on LECA's premises as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Staff may ask only whether the dog is a service animal required because of a disability and what work or task it has been trained to perform. A service animal that is not under its handler's control or is not housebroken may be asked to leave.

 

Enrollment. Enrolling a service animal in a group program is a service to the dog, and the vaccination requirements in Sections 1–3 apply to every dog in the facility. LECA will consider a documented service animal for a spay/neuter waiver on request. Emotional support animals are not service animals under the ADA and remain subject to all standard requirements.

Please notify LECA in advance if you will be bringing a service animal.

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9. ENFORCEMENT, FEES, AND CONTACT

LECA staff make all admittance and enforcement decisions under this policy in the interest of the health and safety of every dog, staff member, and visitor. If LECA suspends or ends a dog's group-program enrollment under this policy, unused prepaid membership fees are refunded on a prorated basis as provided in the Enrollment Agreement.

 

Questions about this policy, or a decision you believe was made in error, should be directed to info@lecaacademy.com, (877) 381-5322, or 86 Lackawanna Avenue, Suite 305, Woodland Park, NJ 07424.

 

This policy is incorporated by reference into the LECA Client Enrollment Agreement. LECA's Terms of Use are at lecaacademy.com/terms and its Privacy Policy at lecaacademy.com/privacy.

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