3. Taking Your Best Friends to Campus
C. W. Von Bergen Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK Beth Von Bergen
Lanier Middle School, Houston, TX
Alison Wells
University of Houston

4. American’s emphasis on our rights Changing attitudes toward animals
Increased Importance of Taking Animals Everywhere—Including College Campuses
American’s emphasis on our rights
Changing attitudes toward animals
Increasing numbers of students with mental illness
A nation of scammers (?)

5. Americans Emphasis on Rights— A Long History
“They all go about with their constitution in their pockets demanding their rights.” —Manuel de Mier y Terán Mexican General, 1828
Americans are still vigorously asserting their rights and one that seems to be gaining momentum in today’s workplace is employees’ insistence that business waive their “no pets” policies so that they can bring their animals to work with them.
Battle of the Alamo, February 23 – March 6, 1836.
Before looking at business, however, let’s look at a few other areas.

6. Changing Attitudes Toward Animals
Why such change?
Many people today feel their pet is a member of the family
Breakdown in relationships resulting in a greater dependence on pets for friendship and social support
Greater understanding of the health benefits associated with human-animal bonds
PETA

7. A Paradigmatic Shift in Attitudes and Behavior Toward Animals in Western Societies
Western society is currently experiencing what is commonly referred to as a paradigm shift in attitudes and behavior towards companion animals. Let me illustrate this change. When I was a young boy I’d go to my Grandparents house for Sunday lunch and sometimes we would have chicken and my grandmother would go out in her back yard and select a chicken for our meal and she would catch it and then chop its head off. I was always captivated in seeing our dinner running around without a head. Sometimes I would help her pluck feathers.
Now PETA would not think kindly of that activity.

8. Changing Attitudes Toward Animals: Resulting In
Increase spending on pet products and veterinary services
Pet cemeteries
Pet behavioral training and therapy
Welfare concerns for animals (free range animals; circus elephants)
Prenuptial agreements for pets (e.g., “prepups”) are gaining popularity
Wanting to bring animals everywhere—including school

9. The College Student Mental Health Crisis
Today’s college students are suffering from an epidemic of mental illnesses.
According to the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors survey of counseling center directors, 95% of college counseling center directors surveyed said the number of students with significant psychological problems is a growing concern in their center or on campus.
Posted Feb 15, 2014

10. A Nation of Scammers, Connivers Cheats, and Law Benders?
Underage drinkers who flash fake I.D.s
Able-bodied adults who drive cars with handicapped license plates
Parents who use a phony address so that their child can attend a more desirable school or play sports for a certain school
Customers with 30 items who stand in the express lane dedicated to those patrons having 10 or fewer items
Unfit for work: the startling rise of disability in America
Have We Become A Nation Of Scammers?

11. A Nation of Scammers, Connivers, Cheats, and Law Benders?
Here we have a person bringing her alpaca to a drugstore.
Retrieved from the New Yorker at

12. Restaurant Customer with Snake: Said It Was His Service Animal
Some customers in a Springfield, Missouri restaurant earlier this week were on edge while trying to enjoy their meal.
That’s because a man walked in with a snake, claiming it was his service animal.
Lisa Loeffelholz was dining at the restaurant at the time.
“We had just gotten our meal and in walks this lady and man and the lady had the snake around her neck at first, and it started to slither off of her neck down into the booth behind her,” she said.
Terri Potts,Lisa’s Mother, said it was pretty scary.
“She was pulling it, and I just started trembling and we gotta get out of here, we gotta get out of here.”
They say the woman handed it across the table to the man, when Lisa snapped a photo picture and immediately expressed her concern to their server.
“The manager came over to us and said it was his service animal,” said Loeffelholz, So we have to allow him to stay. So that’s when my mom and I and the girls decided that we would not stay.”

13. Student and Her Buddy (Pot-Bellied Pig)
Rachel Boerner, 29, was escorted off a US Airways flight at a Connecticut airport after her 'emotional support' pot-bellied pig, Hobey, who was with her in the cabin started defecating on the floor and squealing uncontrollably. Above, Miss Boerner is pictured with Hobey. Air Carrier Access Act requires that people with disabilities be permitted to use ESAs in a variety of settings, including airplanes.

14. Dorm rooms University housing Classrooms Campus jobs
Pet Owners Who Want to Take Their Animals Everywhere: Including Colleges and Universities
Dorm rooms
University housing
Classrooms
Campus jobs

15. A Muddled and Uncoordinated Taxonomy of Animals
companion animals
comfort animals
emotional assistance animals
visitation animals
therapy animals
support animal
social/therapy animals
assistive animals
public service animals
assistance animals
psychiatric service animals
seeing-eye dog, guide dog, hearing dog, mobility assistance dog, seizure-alert dog, …… yada, yada, yada
service animals
emotional support animals (ESAs)
pets
Different states may have different names or labels.

16. Three Key Animal Categories
Service Animals—any guide dog, signal dog, or other dog (an exception for miniature horses) trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability; no definition of amount or type of work provided; not required to be registered or wear a special tag or vest
Emotional Support Animal (ESA)—a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefit through non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life to an individual with a verifiable mental or psychiatric disability (generally a letter from a mental health provider); its mere presence provides a disability-related benefit, but it has not been trained to perform specific tasks or work for an individual
Pets—the affectionate term for animals kept for pleasure, comfort, love, and friendship; sometimes called “household pets”
Service animal definition taken from the Dept. of Justice talks about dogs (no specific breeds or sizes) while other laws like FHA includes other animals. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Service dogs need not be licensed, certified, or registered as a service animal, and are not required to wear a special tag, collar, harness, or vest identifying it as such.
This DOJ definition applies only to Titles II and III of the ADA.

17. Key Animal Categories Relevant to Colleges and Locations Where They are Generally Allowed

18. Pets

19. Service Animal: Only Dogs!

21. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

22. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
ESAs help people with mental illnesses in many ways. For example, ESAs may alleviate psychiatric symptoms by calming the handler and reducing physical and mental effects such as anxiety, fear, flashbacks, hypervigilance, hallucinations, intrusive imagery, nightmares, muscle tension, trembling, nausea and memory loss.

23. Consider Sarah
Sarah (diagnosed with anxiety and depression) at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio petitioned administrators in 2006 to let her bring her ferret, Lilly, to her dorm room and her classes because Lilly helped her cope and calmed her during her panic attacks. She claimed Lilly was an ESA but the university refused to accommodate her disability.
Sarah filed a complaint with the DOJ but it refused to take action. Sarah left the university.

24. The Problem?: ESAs
Students are claiming a mental disability and as an accommodation for their disability they want to bring their animals on “no pet” campuses to make college life easier and to reduce their stress, loneliness, depression, and/or anxiety.
Is the animal a pet or an ESA?
ESAs are rife for exploitation from some individuals who may not have a legitimate need for mental or emotional support, but rather are simply looking for a legal loophole to keep a pet with them.
Institutions are being presented letters from mental health providers claiming that an ESA is necessary for the mental or emotional health of the person. The problem (is it a problem?) is that some of these letters can be easily obtained, regardless of whether a true disability exists.

25. Who Identifies A Disability?
Under a new California law, the following individuals are considered “health care providers”: acupuncturists, podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurse midwives, PAs, physicians, psychiatric social workers, etc.
Or you can spend $164 over the Internet to obtain a letter from Chilhowee Psychological Services. Simply answer a few questions, and out pops a letter indicating your disability.
After your payment, of course. There is a robust industry in providing letters testifying to a person’s disability.

26. Chilhowee Psychological Services 333 W. Lake Ave
Chilhowee Psychological Services 333 W. Lake Ave. Suite 2C Woodland Park, CO 80863

28. ESA Paraphernalia Online
You don’t need tags or vests or licenses or certifications but these items can intimidate entities and therefore they may not confront handlers having such trappings.

29. You Could Register a Beanie Baby as Long as You Send Money

30. Administrator Takeaways
Don’t be surprised; be prepared for this issue
Recognize differences between ESAs and service animals
Have one office address animals on campus
Focus on accommodation and not disability
Specify the responsibilities of students with animals
Context matters: housing, campus jobs, other facilities
Consider state and city laws
Be prepared to address students’ concerns—balance needs of all
Increased mental illness → increased accommodation requests from students
Don’t be overly demanding in questioning students

31. University of Nebraska at Kearney
Information regarding the student’s treatment and prescribed medications, including a list of dosages and schedules for intake;
The date of the student’s last visit with the doctor and a schedule of regular visits;
A list of any other doctors providing treatment;
A clinical summary indicating the substantial life activities impaired by the disability;
The extent to which these limitations would impact the academic or living environment in a postsecondary setting
Clear evidence that the student’s symptoms are present in two or more settings;
And an explanation of how the student’s limitations affect the activities that are required in an academic environment.
The university asked for

32. Maybe Not A Problem
Some institutions, on the other hand, see pet welcoming policies as a competitive advantage
Eckerd College sees this as a way to enhance enrollment

33. Eckerd College—St. Petersburg, FL
Animals—Cats, dogs (under 40 pounds when fully grown), rabbits, ducks, large birds, ferrets, and chinchillas. Cats and dogs must be at least one year old and have lived with the student or the student’s family for at least ten months prior to living on-campus. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, wolf breeds, any aggressive breed, or any mix containing these, are not allowed on-campus at any time. Owners are not permitted to breed any animal or small pet for food or other purposes.
Small pets—Fish, small birds, rats, hedgehogs, hamsters, sugar gliders, gerbils, guinea pigs, amphibians, and small reptiles (snakes must be less than four feet long and non-venomous).
On-campus residents are permitted ONE Animal OR TWO Small Pets per student.
Eckerd sees their lenient policy regarding animals on campus as a recruiting tool and a competitive advantage with respect to other universities.