Assistance (Emotional Support) Animals

Assistance/ Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals for a Person with a Disability

 

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Fair Housing Act, students with disabilities may be eligible to have an emotional support animal in campus housing.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines an assistance animal as follows:

"An assistance animal is not a pet.  It is an animal that provides assistance or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability."

Emotional Support Animals/Assistance Animals may be prescribed by an individual's treating clinician to alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability.  The support performed by the animal must be directly related to the individual's documented disability.

Under the Fair Housing Act, a person may be eligible to have an animal in residence as a reasonable accommodation if the follow conditions are met:

  • The individual has a disability

  • The animal is necessary to afford the individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy campus housing; and

  • There is an identifiable relationship between the disability and the assistance the animal provides.

  • There is an established relationship of support between the animal and the student. 

Applications for emotional support animals (ESAs) or must be supported by a medical diagnosis and should be made before July 1st for Fall Semester and November 1st for Spring Semester to ensure that proper arrangements can be made. 

Students requesting an Emotional Support Animal must provide clinical documentation on official letterhead signed by a qualified and credentialed practitioner, who is not a family member of the student.

Documentation must meet the following qualifications:

  • A statement from an appropriate treating medical professional regarding the individual's disability or condition, and the impact of the condition upon a major life activity.

  • A statement from an appropriate treating medical professional regarding the necessity of the assistance animal for the individual to use campus housing; and

  • A statement from an appropriate treating medical professional regarding the relationship between the student's disability and the assistance the animal provides.  The assistance performed by the animal must be directly related to the student's documented disability.

The University of the Arts reserves the right to take reasonable advance planning time in order to be able to review Emotional Support/Assistance Animal requests so as to determine eligibility and to identify housing that will meet the needs of a student with an assistance animal as well as the needs of any students or staff who may have allergies or phobias.  The Office of Educational Accessibility requests a photo of the animal, and may request additional documentation such as vet records.

Students requesting an ESA must do the following:

1) Complete a Pre-Intake Form

2) Meet with the Director of Educational Accessibility.  Make an appointment at uartsaccess.youcanbook.me.

Please see our written policy on Support Animals at UArts: Support Animal Policy at UArts

Once approved for an Emotional Support Animal in Housing, the following policies apply:

  • UArts may not charge a student with a disability a surcharge for having an Emotional Support/Assistance Animal; however, if the animal causes any damage, UArts may charge for the cost of damages.

  • An Emotional Support/Assistance Animal is not required to have special training, certification or to be licensed as an assistance animal; however, the animal shall be under the control of the individual at all times.

  • An approved Emotional Support/Assistance Animal is allowed in the student's room and in common areas of the residence hall.  Emotional Support/Assistance Animals are not permitted in any other areas of the campus outside of the accommodated student's assigned housing.

  • Animals must be housebroken.  Emotional Support/ Assistance animals should not be left unattended in the residence hall for long periods of time.  If students will be leaving campus for the weekend or for breaks, they are required to take their animal with them or board them off campus. 

Service Animals

Per ADA regulations, Service Animals may enter University buildings without restriction or documentation.  Please see the Department of Justice's Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA. While documentation and registration is not required, we highly recommend that any student with a service animal contact OEA to discuss any academic concerns and plans for Service Animals in buildings and classes.