Public Accommodation Request

The Resident must agree to abide by the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved Emotional Support Animal.

If the University grants a Resident’s request for ESA as a reasonable accommodation, the Resident is solely responsible for the custody and care of the ESA and must meet the following requirements:

A.      General Responsibilities

1. BEFORE a Resident may bring the requested ESA to campus, the Resident must be officially approved by OARS following the ESA request process. This includes meeting with an Accessibility Specialist, signing the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved Emotional Support Animal, submitting a photo of the proposed ESA, and completing the ESA In Case of Emergency form identifying an off-campus person who can immediately take possession of the animal if needed. The student must confirm that they have communicated their intent to bring the ESA with current and/or future roommates and suitemates. The student will be allowed to bring the approved ESA to campus on the date identified in the official approval letter from the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services received via HPU email. In most cases, if the ESA request occurs in the middle of the semester, the ESA approval will begin at the start of the next semester.
2. Once an ESA has been approved, the Resident agrees to abide by all other residential policies along with the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved Emotional Support Animal. The Resident will be referred to the Office of Housing Operations for violations of this policy (including failure to submit updated vaccination/veterinary records).
3. The Resident will be financially responsible for expenses incurred above standard cleaning or for repairs (beyond reasonable wear and tear) to the residential premises, including losses, liability, claims, and harm to others caused by the ESA.
4. The ESA approval will be retained throughout the Resident’s time at the University. In the event that the Resident takes a Leave of Absence, is suspended then readmitted, etc., the ESA approval will still apply once the Resident returns to campus, with the exception of suspension or removal from campus directly related to ESA violations.
5. Upon approval, the Resident is required to obtain an ESA identification tag and door decal. The ESA tag must be attached to the ESA’s collar (if applicable) at all times while on campus. If the ESA species is unable to wear a collar, the ESA tag should be displayed on the ESA’s enclosure. The door decal must be placed on the door of the student’s housing assignment. If the Resident fails to place the tag on the ESA’s collar or enclosure, Residence Life will assume the ESA is an unauthorized animal and will proceed with the applicable protocol.
6. An ESA must be contained within the Resident’s assigned individual room when the Resident is not present. The ESA is permitted in the shared living space (suite living room area) if the Resident is present and has obtained permission from suitemates. The ESA is not permitted in other students’ rooms, or other commonly shared public spaces of the University such as classrooms, academic buildings, administrative buildings, libraries, dining service areas, fitness center, outside recreational areas, pools, the Promenade, Robert’s Hall Lawn, etc.
7. When an ESA (regardless of animal type) is left unattended in the Resident's room, they must be stored in a crate, carrier, cage, or kennel. This containment will allow HPU officials to routinely access the residential facilities for maintenance and other routine tasks without posing a risk to the animal or employees.
8. ESAs must be taken out of and returned to the Resident's assigned residence by way of the shortest and most direct path. Residence Life will work with the Resident to identify appropriate spaces for the ESA to relieve itself, based on where the Resident resides.
9. The ESA must be maintained under standard restraints, such as a carrier and/or collar, when outdoors, in public areas, or in transit.
10. The Resident is solely responsible for the animal's well-being, care, and cleaning, including regular feeding, bathing, grooming, daily care, and veterinary services.
11. The Resident is solely responsible for cleaning up after and properly disposing of the ESA's waste in a safe and sanitary manner. ESA dogs must be "housebroken" (no puppy pads), and ESA cats must be litter box trained.
12. Under all circumstances, animal waste deposited on university grounds or within the facilities MUST be removed immediately and disposed of properly.
13. It is the Resident's responsibility to ensure that others are not disrupted by the ESA (e.g., barking, excessive noise, etc.).
14. ESAs must be taken with the Resident if they leave campus overnight. The ESA may not be left in the care of any other HPU student or employee.
15. The University and University staff are not responsible for retrieving the ESA if the animal escapes or becomes lost.
16. The Resident must abide by current local and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. It is the Resident’s responsibility to know and understand these ordinances, laws, and regulations. The University has the right to require documentation of compliance with such ordinances, laws, and/or regulations, such as a vaccination certificate.
17. The Resident is required to communicate with their current and/or future roommates/suitemates regarding their intended ESA. If the roommates/suitemates are not in agreement with the ESA arrangement, the Resident must work with Housing and Residence Life to determine alternative housing arrangements. In some cases, the Resident and roommates/suitemates will be required to engage in the ResLife Roommate Mediation process.
18. The Resident is responsible for submitting updated vaccination records and/or annual veterinary visit reports to OARS prior to expiration of the current records (or anniversary date of ESA approval if vaccinations are not required for the animal). If the Resident fails to submit updated records, OARS will file an ESA violation report and the ESA will be deemed an “unauthorized pet.” A fine of $100 per day (that the ESA is on campus) is imposed on the Resident and the Resident will be expected to permanently relocate the animal off campus immediately.
19. The Resident’s living space may be inspected for fleas, ticks, pests, and/or damage to the residential facilities once a semester or as needed. The Office of Residence Life will schedule the inspection and notify the Resident before the scheduled inspection. If fleas, ticks, or other pests are detected through inspection, the residence hall will be treated using approved fumigation methods by a university-approved pest control service. The Resident will be billed for the expense of any necessary pest control treatment.
20. The University may remove or require the removal of the ESA if it poses or has posed a threat to the health or safety of others on campus, if the ESA fundamentally alters the nature of a university program or activity, or the Resident does not comply with the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved ESA.
21. ESA approval is valid only for the specific animal OARS names in the official ESA approval letter. To replace a previously approved ESA, the Resident must complete a supplemental accommodation request through OARS and provide new and/or up-to-date documentation for the requested ESA.
22. The University strongly urges the Resident to have their ESA (dog or cat) spayed or neutered prior to bringing the ESA to campus. This recommendation is to ensure animal aggression is minimized and the possibility of the animal becoming pregnant and delivering a litter is prevented. In the situation of an ESA delivering a litter on campus, the Resident will be held responsible and will be referred to the Office of Housing Operations for violations of this policy. Each additional animal will be considered unauthorized, and a fine of $100 per day, per animal, will be imposed on the Resident.
23. The Resident must notify OARS in writing if the ESA is no longer needed as an accommodation for the student in the residential facilities.