Health Service Animal Policy

Health Service Animal Policy

While many of our staff love animals and are pet owners, the Health Service is not able to provide assessments to document the need for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). When you visit the Health Service, please ensure the following animals remain in the comfort of your residence and outside Health Service (Dick's House) facilities: 

  • Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) - ESAs are classified under the Fair Housing Act (FHAct, 42 U.S.C.A. 3601 et seq). As such, an ESA may reside only in a student’s room, and may accompany the student in all public or common use areas in the path of travel to his or her room. ESA do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Personal Pets

Service Animals will be permitted to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the Health Service.  A Service Animal is any dog, or in some cases a miniature horse, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability (Americans with Disability Act 1990, Section 35.136).