Comfort animals a growing need on college campuses

Written by: Jocelyn Talavera/Staff Writer

Across the nation, colleges receive requests from students looking for a specific type of roommate—the four-legged kind.

Navigating college can be a stressful time for a majority of students but for some, the option of having a ‘comfort animal’ in their dorm can be an extra push towards academic success.

Comfort animals, or emotional support animals, can serve as a therapeutic aid to individuals with a diagnosed mental health disorder like depression, anxiety and panic attacks; however, they are more commonly used to help combat the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a study by Frontiers in Psychology.

More than 14 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated for anxiety and 12 percent reported being diagnosed or treated for depression, according to a 2014 report by the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment.

“Approximately 35 percent of the students seeking services at CAPS come with issues related to anxiety. Another 35 percent have issues related to depression,” said Kathryn Kominars, Counseling and Psychological Services associate director.

Although comfort animals do provide a service for their owner, there are differences between service animals and comfort animals. A service animal by law is specifically trained to perform commands and are usually dogs or miniature horses as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Service animals are legal in Florida and are allowed in public areas on campus. Service animals can serve a wide range of disabilities and by law can cover emotional, psychiatric or physical ailments.

Image by Jasmine Romero/FIUSM Staff

Nationwide, service animals are allowed on college campuses and in dorms under the Fair Housing Act, which protects individuals from discrimination during the process of trying to secure housing. Students do not have to register their service animal with the Disability Resources Center at the University, said Mercedes Bryant, Disability Resource Center access consultant.

“Yes, there are actual service animals in the dormitories, as well as emotional support animals. There are a couple different types of support animals that can be considered an emotional support or comfort animal, depending on the medical diagnosis that we get and that type of information,” said Bryant.

A $140,000 lawsuit against the University of Nebraska started a growing debate on emotional support animals living on college campuses. Two students had been denied comfort animals, and a federal judge refused to dismiss a similar case against Kent State University, according to The New York Times. 

The Disability Resource Center does not provide direct resources for service or support animals, but a student can visit the center and will be referred to outside agencies or community agencies. They can also contact a personal psychologist or psychiatrist who can recommend them to get a service or support animal, she said.

Emotional support animals do not fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act because they are not trained to perform tasks. However, with a proper medical diagnosis and a medical professional’s recommendation, they are allowed in the University’s public housing.

Although, service animals are not obligated to be registered at the DRC, comfort animals do, said Bryant.

Once registered with the DRC, the case is forwarded to the University’s public housing department, which can then make the necessary accommodations for the student and their animal.

Andrew Naylor, associate chair for the Department of Housing and Residential Life, directly handles cases pertaining to service and emotional support animals.

“So we have some dogs, some cats and one bunny living in the dorms. We have currently on campus right around 10 emotional support and service animals,” said Naylor. “And by far, the majority of those are emotional support animals. I would say probably eight out of the 10.”

University policy only allows fish as pets because students do have allergies to other animals and spaces in the dorms are reserved by the bed space instead of by apartment.

Considerations are taken for all the student’s needs in those apartments. Service and support animals are not considered pets, he said.

Senior hospitality major Rebecca Merek has lived on campus for three years. She said she doesn’t mind the idea of comfort animals in the dorms.

“I think it depends on the person’s level of discomfort and the situation. I wouldn’t mind it, but other people have allergies and fears,” said Merek.

Students with a service or emotional support animal can opt to live alone, but Naylor encourages them to live with roommates as long as they are fine sharing a living space with an animal.

Image by Pablo FJ, courtesy of Creative Commons

jocelyn.talavera@fiusm.com