Emotional Support Animal Policy and Guidelines

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Accommodation - For Incoming Students for Fall 2024

Timeline: Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Requests and Supporting Documentation are due June 28, 2024

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or Therapy Animal is defined as any animal that provides therapeutic support or comfort to an individual with a documented disability. There are no restrictions on the type of animal that may qualify as an ESA, but the animal must alleviate one or more symptoms or effects of the disabling condition. Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), an animal kept in residence is a reasonable accommodation if:

the student has a disability;
the animal is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; and
there is an identifiable relationship or nexus between the disability and the assistance the animal provides.

Fall 2022 – COVID INFORMATION

In compliance with CDC directives, ESAs should not be in contact with persons exposed to COVID, have tested positive to COVID, or are sick with COVID. Therefore any students who have approved ESAs in their residence hall rooms and need to go into isolation or quarantine, must make arrangements prior to coming to campus, for the ESA to be taken off campus for the length of stay in isolation or quarantine. The ESA cannot be left in the care of any one on campus. Contact information for the person(s) or shelter that will come and get the ESA must be provided to the Assistant Dean of Studies & Disability Services.

General Policy:

Emotional Support Animals are:

Only allowed in the student’s assigned room in a residence hall
Not allowed in common areas in an apartment or house
Not allowed in any other campus buildings.
Are allowed outside on a leash, in a cage or carrier or under the control of the student handler at all times

PLEASE NOTE: An ESA that is brought to campus without prior approval will not be allowed into a residence hall.

Procedure for Requesting an Emotional Support Animal

In order for a request to have an ESA in the residence hall to be considered, students must be registered with Disability Services as having a disability in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. See https://my.slc.edu/ics/Campus_Life/Departments/Disability_Services/ for information on how to register with Disability Services.
Once registered with Disability Services, students then complete a Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Request Form requesting to have an Emotional Support Animal in their assigned room in the residence hall. This form is submitted to the Director of Access and Disability Services.
A healthcare provider must complete the Sarah Lawrence College Documentation for Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Form. This form is submitted to the Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services.
The Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services will review the request and documentation and notify the student if the request is approved. Residence Life, Campus Safety, and Operations & Facilities will be notified at this time of the presence of an animal in a specific room in the residence hall.
If the request is approved, students then meet with the Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services to review responsibilities related to the care of the Emotional Support Animal. Students will be asked to sign an agreement confirming their responsibilities.
Students will notify their roommate(s) and/or housemates of the approved animal and those students will sign an agreement with Disability Services of their agreement to the animal being in residence.

Owner/Handler Responsibilities and Guidelines for Having an Emotional Support (ESA) or Therapy Animal in the Residence Hall

As any student, the owner/handler must comply with all College rules regarding noise, safety, disruption, and cleanliness in the Residence Halls and on the college campus at large.

Animals cannot make excessive noise or demonstrate behavior that is disruptive to the community.

When appropriate, the owner/handler must submit documentation/certification from a licensed vet, dated within the last year, of health and vaccination record.

The owner/handler must abide by all state and local laws regarding animals, submitting a copy of the animal’s license if applicable.

The owner/handler, not the College or another student, is responsible for the care of the animals - cleaning, feeding, grooming and flea prevention.

If fleas, ticks or other pests are detected, the owner/handler is responsible for the cost of any pest treatment, over and above standard pest management used in the Residence Halls. If the College determines there is a pest infestation due to the ESA, they reserve the right to have the ESA removed.

The animals are only allowed in the owner/handler’s room and any equipment, litter box, food, etc. has to be kept in the student’s room. The animals are not allowed in the common areas of an apartment or house. The animals are not allowed in any building on campus other than the owner/handler’s residence hall.

The animals and their accoutrements (e.g. heat lamp) cannot pose a direct threat to the safety of others.

The owner/handler may not leave an animal for more than 18 hours in campus housing or leave it to be cared for by another student or individual. If the owner/handler leaves campus for a prolonged period of time, the animal must be taken with them.
The owner/handler must provide contact information to the Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services for an individual who will be responsible for the animal in the event that the owner/handler is unavailable, or has to go into isolation or quarantine for COVID. The contact individual cannot be another student at the College.
The owner/handler will provide contact information to the Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services for an individual who will be responsible for the animal in the event that the owner/handler is unavailable. The contact individual cannot be another student at the College.

When taking an animal out of the residence hall, the animal must be harnessed, leashed, or otherwise under physical control of the owner/handler.

The College is not responsible for an animal during a fire alarm, fire drill, or natural disaster.

The owner/handler is solely responsible for the removal and disposal of the animal’s waste. This clean-up must be done promptly and into a proper receptacle outside of the residence hall.

The owner/handler is responsible for any financial charges for damage caused by the animal.

If owner/handler puts in a work order or if maintenance needs to access the owner/handler’s room for any reason, the animal must be leashed or crated in the room, until the work order is completed.

If Operations and Facilities determines that cleaning is necessary after the animal has vacated the residence hall, the owner/handler is responsible for any related financial charges.

The owner/handler is responsible for any financial charges related to bodily harm caused by the animal to any individual.

The owner/handler must notify the Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services in writing if the animal will no longer reside in the Residence Hall.

The approval of having an ESA as an accommodation for a documented disability is good for one academic year.

The College can withdraw the approval for the Emotional Support Animal to live in a Residence Hall, if the following issues arise:

The animal is a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
The owner/handler cannot control the behavior of the ESA.
The owner/handler cannot take care of the ESA, and the College determines that the ESA is being mistreated or neglected.
The ESA’s presence in the Residence Hall is found to cause an unmanageable disturbance or interference.
The owner/handler does not comply with the agreed upon responsibilities and policy.

Questions or concerns should be addressed to:

The Office of Access and Disability Services

disabilityservices@sarahlawrence.edu