Public Accommodation Request

Oftentimes, students are unsure whether their animal qualifies as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or a Service Animal. OARS will work with the student to determine the appropriate classification. Therefore, all students requesting to bring an animal to campus must agree to abide by the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved Emotional Support Animal below.

If approved as an accommodation, the Resident is solely responsible for the care, supervision, and behavior of the ESA and must comply with the following requirements:

A.      General Responsibilities:

1. Approval Requirements: 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, submitting all supporting documentation, submitting a photo of the proposed ESA. The ESA may only arrive on campus on the date identified in the official letter of approval. If the ESA request occurs in the middle of the semester, the ESA approval will (in most cases) begin at the start of the next semester. 

·      The ESA approval remains valid while the Resident is enrolled and residing in University housing unless the approval is modified, suspended, or removed due to policy violations or changes in circumstances.

·      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 and provide up-to-date documentation for a new ESA.

·      Approved cats and dogs must be spayed or neutered prior to arriving on campus. Additional animals resulting from breeding or an ESA giving birth while on campus will be considered unauthorized.

·      Generally, animals considered for ESA approval must be a cat or dog, at least on year of age, and have an established bond with the Resident for at least six (6) months.

2. ESA Identification: The Resident must display the ESA identification tag on the animal’s collar and housing door decal provided by OARS. Failure to properly identify the approved ESA may result in the animal being treated as an unauthorized animal.

3. Animal Location and Control: An ESA must remain in the Resident’s assigned individual room and must be secured in a carrier, cage, or kennel when the Resident is not present. An ESA may be in shared living spaces (such as a suite living room) only when the Resident is present and all suitemates have provided permission. The ESA is not permitted in other students’ rooms or public spaces of the University (i.e., classrooms, academic buildings, administrative buildings, etc.). When outside the residence, the ESA must be under the Resident’s control using appropriate restraints or containment. The Resident must use designated routes and locations identified by Housing and Residence Life for the ESA’s outdoor needs.

4. Animal Care and Behavior: The Resident is responsible for the ESA’s daily care, including feeding, grooming, veterinary care, and maintaining appropriate living conditions. The Resident must immediately clean up animal waste and ensure the ESA does not create unreasonable disturbances, including excessive noise or disruptive behavior.

5. Veterinary Records and Compliance: The Resident must maintain compliance with applicable local, state, and federal animal requirements and submit updated veterinary/vaccination records (including rabies and wellness records), or other required documentation to OARS by the established deadlines. OARS will send reminders of upcoming vaccination records and/or annual veterinary visit reports at the three (3) month, two (2) month, and one (1) month mark prior to the expiration date. Failure to submit updated documentation may result in an ESA violation report, and the ESA may be considered an unauthorized animal subject to applicable sanctions.

6. Housing Responsibility and Costs:

·     The Resident must communicate their intent to bring an ESA to current and future roommates/suitemates. HPU may notify roommates/suitemates of an approved ESA accommodation as necessary to facilitate housing arrangements. In some circumstances, the Resident and roommates/suitemates may be required to participate in the ResLife Roommate Mediation process.

·     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.

·     The Resident is responsible for ensuring appropriate care arrangements for their ESA whenever they are away from campus or unable to provide care. The ESA may not be left in the care of any other HPU student or employee.

·     HPU may conduct inspections of the Resident’s living space as needed to ensure compliance with ESA responsibilities and address concerns related to sanitation, pests, or property damage. The Resident may be responsible for associated costs.

·     HPU is not responsible for retrieving lost, escaped, or missing ESAs.

7. Changes in ESA Status: The Resident must notify OARS in writing if the ESA is no longer needed as an accommodation.

B.  Failure to Comply: The Resident acknowledges that failure to comply with the ESA Policy or the Rules and Responsibilities of a Resident with an Approved ESA may result in sanctions or removal of the ESA from University housing, and/or referral through the student conduct process through the Office of Community Standards and/or the Office of Student Life.