Emotional Support Animals
Definition
An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal (typically dog or cat though this can include other animals) that provides a therapeutic benefit to its owner through companionship. The animal provides emotional support and comfort to individuals with psychological disorders and other mental impairments.
The animal is not specifically trained to perform tasks for a person who has emotional disabilities.
Allowed Locations
An emotional support animal is not automatically granted access to places the public normally goes.
At Penn State
An emotional support animal...
- is not permitted in areas of campus not open to the general public, including classrooms
- can be granted access to public spaces through the reasonable accommodation process administered by Student Disability Resources
- can be permitted in on-campus student housing through a process involving Student Disability Resources
Student Disability Resources is involved in student requests to have a emotional support animal on campus, in classrooms, and in housing facilities.
Procedure for use
In on-campus housing
To request to have an emotional support animal (ESA) in campus housing:
- Consult and follow Housing and Food Services's (HFS) procedure for service and emotional support animals
- Contact Student Disability Resources to schedule an intake appointment to discuss the relationship between the student’s disability and the support provided by the emotional support animal
In public spaces
To request to have an emotional support animal in areas on campus other than in University housing:
- Officially register with Student Disability Resources and have a documented disability that requires the use of an emotional support animal in specific on-campus location(s) as a reasonable accommodation supported by the documentation.
- Agree to adhere to the owner responsibilities for emotional support animals as provided by Student Disability Resources upon approval to have the animal on campus in specified locations.
- Meet with the assigned Disability Specialist from Student Disability Resources each semester and have approval for the use of an emotional support animal in specific on-campus location(s) as a reasonable accommodation that semester.
- Follow the owner responsibilities for emotional support animals as provided by Student Disability Resources each semester an emotional support animal is approved to be on campus in specified locations.