It’s not all that uncommon to hear about service animals for people with physical disabilities. But now on college campuses, students are increasingly asking to have their pets live with them in university housing as ‘comfort animals.’
The New York Times did a piece on such animals and the ‘gray area.’ On the one hand, animals can damage property or create problems for students who have allergies or are afraid of them. There is also a problem though when it comes to the Fair Housing and Americans with Disabilities Act if the student claims they need the animal because of their mental health problems.
There is even a mention of discrimination lawsuits from students who were denied the use of these animals. As is mentioned:
The New York Times also spoke to an educational disabilities consultant:
The debate on comfort animals for students with mental health issues certainly raises interesting points. One of them is how to determine if students have a legitimate need for the animal, or if they just really want a pet.
It comes down to not only the student having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, but also if they can show their animal “is therapeutically necessary.”
If more universities allow these comfort animals, expect to see dogs and cats, but other animals too. This includes lizards, tarantulas, potbellied pigs, ferrets, rats, guinea pigs, and sugar gliders.
