Animal Accommodations - Disability Services

Q.  Are service animals allowed on campus?

A. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are permitted on campus. According to federal guidelines, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to perform specific tasks or work for a person with a disability. 

Q. How can individuals determine whether an animal is a service animal?

A. You may ask the handler two questions:

• Is the animal required because of a disability?
• What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

You may not:

• Ask for documentation or proof that the animal is a service animal.
• Inquire about the nature of the person’s disability.

Q. What should be done if students, staff, or faculty are allergic to or afraid of a service animal?

A. All members of the campus community—students, staff, faculty, and visitors—should reasonably accommodate individuals with allergies or fears by providing an alternative location away from the service animal. This ensures access and comfort for all parties.

Q. What behavioral guidelines must service animals follow?

A. To ensure a safe and respectful environment, service animals must:

• Remain in physical proximity and under the control of their handler at all times.
• Be on a leash or harness, unless it interferes with the animal’s ability to perform its tasks. In such cases, the animal must be controlled via voice or signal commands.
• Not display disruptive behavior, such as barking, growling, or acting aggressively.
• Be housebroken. The handler is responsible for cleaning up after the animal. 

Q. Can a service animal be asked to leave campus?

A. If a service animal is out of control or fails to follow behavior expectations, it may be excluded from the building or area. However, the individual with the disability will not be excluded and will continue to receive reasonable accommodations.

Q. Where can I learn more about ADA requirements for service animals?

A. For full guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Justice ADA Requirements for Service Animals.

Q. If I have a service animal, do I have to register with Disability Services?

A. No, you are not legally required to register yourself or your animal with Disability Services. However, we strongly encourage you to contact Disability Services at (906) 227-1737 or disability@nmu.edu to inform us that you will be bringing your service dog.

We maintain a confidential list of service animals on campus along with basic contact information for safety and security purposes. We also ask that you submit two emergency contacts that must live off of campus who can retrieve and care for the animal if you are unable to do so. 

Roommates, suitemates, or other residents cannot be responsible for caring for the service animal, even if they agree to do so—this is a working animal that serves you. If the service dog owner is unable to care for the animal, they must provide an emergency contact who can respond and retrieve the animal within 8 hours of being notified. If no emergency contact is available, the university may send the animal to a local shelter (e.g., Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter) at the student's expense.

Q. What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?

A. An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides a therapeutic benefit (e.g., emotional support, comfort, companionship) to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability (such as a serious mental health condition).

Q. What are the Basic Qualifications for an ESA?

A.

• The animal must be at least 12 months old.
• The owner must have a documented relationship with the animal for at least 3 months.
• Dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered prior to approval.
• There are restrictions on size and type, particularly for university housing, with limits on the number and kind of animals allowed (e.g., one cat, one small dog under 40 pounds,).

Q. How Can a Student Request an ESA in On-Campus Housing?

A. To request an ESA in on-campus housing, a student must:

1. Contact the Disability Services office (disability@nmu.edu, 906-227-1737) for guidelines and paperwork. Disability Services has a specific ROI (Release of Information) that must be filled out by a qualified evaluator (e.g., psychiatrist, physician, or psychologist). You can only obtain this form by contacting the Disability Services office directly. If your medical provider uses their own form, it must include answers to all questions on the Disability Services ROI.
2. Have a recognized disability as defined by the ADA. According to the legal definition set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
3. The qualified evaluator must specify on the ROI how the ESA alleviates symptoms related to the student’s disability. We need detailed information about the student’s specific symptoms, how these affect their daily or academic functioning, and how the ESA mitigates these symptoms. For example, instead of a general statement like “the animal alleviates anxiety,” please explain how the ESA helps (e.g., grounding during distress, reducing isolation). General statements without this detail are insufficient to support the accommodation.
4. This evaluator must be someone you have an established relationship with and have had 3 or more visits with. 
   Having an established relationship with your medical provider is essential for an ESA recommendation because it ensures the provider has a comprehensive understanding of your condition and needs. A provider who knows your medical history can make an informed and accurate assessment of whether an ESA is a necessary and reasonable accommodation for your well-being. This relationship adds credibility to the recommendation and ensures it is based on medical needs, helping to prevent misuse of the process while aligning with treatment goals.

Q. Is an ESA the Same as a Service Animal?

A. No. Service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities (e.g., guiding a person who is blind). ESAs do not have specific training and are mainly for emotional support. While service animals have access to public places, ESAs are not allowed in public accommodations except for certain housing situations under the Fair Housing Act.

Q. Can I Take My ESA to Class?

A. No, ESAs are only permitted in the student's on-campus housing unit (residence hall room or on-campus apartment). They are not allowed in classrooms, dining halls, study lounges, TV rooms, or other campus buildings.

Q. What If I Can't Care for My ESA?

A. Roommates, suitemates, or other residents cannot be left in control of the animal, even if they consent to do so—this is a working animal which works for you. If the ESA owner is unable to care for the animal, they must designate an emergency contact who can take care of the animal within 8 hours. If no emergency contact is available, the university may send the animal to a local shelter (e.g., Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter) at the student's expense.

Q. Do I Need to Bring a Crate for My ESA?

A. Yes, when you are not in your residence hall room  or campus apartment, your ESA must always be crated. The animal must be under the direct control of you at all times and must not be left alone in a room or apartment for a period longer than the normal time spent at class or at meals. When outside of the living space, your animal must be placed into a crate or other container. The university is not responsible if your animal escapes control at any time.

Q. What If My ESA Damages Campus Property?

A. The ESA owner is responsible for paying any fees or damages caused by the animal. Even a well-maintained ESA in a university dorm or apartment will cause a certain level of damage and/or staining; be prepared to receive a cleaning and maintenance cost upon vacating university housing after having resided there with an ESA. You are responsible for your ESA. 

Q. If my ESA is a dog, what are the guidelines for taking the animal outside to relieve itself?

A. The animal must be leashed or otherwise restrained by a device as appropriate for the animal while it is outside of the living unit or outdoors on university property. When taking the animal outdoors you must take the most direct route out and back in and no one else is allowed to take the animal outside. No stopping is allowed while indoors. Animal waste must be disposed of appropriately, and all enclosures must be kept clean and odor free. Animals that defecate outside must be cleaned up after by bagging the waste and disposing of in an outdoor receptacle.

Q. If my ESA is a cat, what are the guidelines for cleaning the litter box?

A. If your animal uses a litter box, waste must be placed in a sealed bag and disposed of in an outdoor trash receptacle. To minimize odors and maintain cleanliness, waste should be removed regularly.

Q. What if my ESA is disruptive and has a hard time adjusting to living in on campus housing?

A. Animals which interfere with or hinder another student in pursuit of their education and occupation will be subject to removal.This includes any excessive noises the animal makes (barking, meowing, etc.).

ANY aggressive behavior immediately disqualifies the animal as a working animal. ANY undisclosed medical condition immediately disqualifies the animal as a working animal. In these cases, you will be required to remove the animal expeditiously within no less than 48 hours.

Q. Do I need to notify my roommates about my ESA? 

A. Yes, it is your responsibility to notify your roommates regarding the presence of your ESA. If your roommate has an allergy or dislike of animals, all roommates will need to work with Housing and Residence Life and/or Disability Services. 

Q. If I have an ESA, can I be approved for a single room? 

A. No, having an ESA does not automatically qualify you to receive a single room. 

Q. What happens if my roommate is allergic to my ESA?

A. Because having an allergy is also a recognized Disability, it’s important for students to submit documentation to Disability Services regarding any allergies. We solve the dispute based on which student submitted their documentation first.  This would include verifying when the student(s) registered their allergy with Disability Services or signed the ESA agreement. That student would then get to remain in their dorm room or campus apartment, while the other student may need to be relocated. 

Q. Can I Bring My ESA to Campus While Waiting for Approval?

A.No, the ESA cannot be brought to campus until the accommodation request is approved by Disability Services. Bringing the animal into university housing before approval will result in Student Code charges and a $250 fine.

Q. Do I Need an ESA Certificate to Bring My Animal to Campus Housing?

A. No, Disability Services discourages purchasing certificates or documentation from websites, as such documents are often not sufficient to establish the need for an ESA. They will not be accepted as valid documentation that substantiates the need for an ESA.

Q. What Type of Documentation Is Needed?

A. Documentation from a licensed healthcare provider (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, physician) is required. This should include a statement connecting the disability to the need for an ESA and how the animal alleviates the disability's symptoms.

Q. How Long Does It Take to Receive ESA Approval?

A. The approval process may take 30-45 days. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and contact Disability Services (disability@nmu.edu, 906-227-1737) for more information. 

Q. What Types of Animals Can Be ESAs?

A. Common household pets such as dogs (under 40 lbs), cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, fish, turtles, and other small domesticated animals can be ESAs.

The ESA Approval Process:

1. Step 1: Student submits an accommodation request with required documentation.
2. Step 2: Disability Services reviews the request and documentation.
3. Step 3: If approved, a meeting is scheduled with a Disability Services Coordinator to review the policies and sign an ESA agreement. In addition, an accommodation form is sent to Housing and Residence Life.
4. Step 5: Once approved, the student can bring the ESA into on-campus housing.

If the request is not approved, Disability Services will contact the student for additional documentation or clarification.