Growing Number of College Students Turning to Emotional Support Animals
“emotional support animals have become more of a recent phenomenon as a new way of treating mental illness”
Is this really about having a pet on campus? People would never abuse the rules for something like that, would they?
The Washington Examiner reports:
College students increasingly taking emotional support animals to campus
Despite ridicule, growing numbers of college students are turning to emotional support animals.
While living in a college dormitory once meant leaving your favorite four-legged friend at home, a growing number of college students have found a way to circumvent the rules about animals on campus in the name of mental health.
The last few years have seen a growing number of college students requesting, and being approved, to keep a personal cat or dog with them on campus, in the name of an emotional support animal.
While traditional service dogs for people with certain disabilities have been around for many years and are protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act, emotional support animals have become more of a recent phenomenon as a new way of treating mental illness.
Following a federal clarification about the classification guidelines for such animals by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2015, an increasing number of individuals have begun seeking legitimate medical certifications to carry an ESA with them, and college students have been no exception.
According to administrators at Temple University, the number of requests for emotional support animals on their campus has risen substantially over the past few years, from six requests in 2017-2018 to 20 requests for the 2018-2019 academic year.
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I am convinced that there is a cottage industry making and selling “service animal collars and vests” so nitwits can take their pets on the bus and into grocery stores and restaurants. And of course, it is illegal for an establishment to inquire what the disability is. But, as a private citizen, I suppose it is OK for me to ask if they have a service animal because they suffer from being a F*@%tard.”
Of course, there is.
I will say on college campuses that you have to go beyond that and actually submit certified paperwork. However, if you are willing to take on the task, it’s not that tough. Got anxiety? Go to a doc and tell them that the only thing that calms you down is your pet iguana and boom, here’s your certificate. The Americans with Disabilities Act has been absolutely ABUSED on college campuses to the point of no return.
a growing number of college students requesting, and being approved
There’s the problem, right there.
My daughter is a freshman at a large university in Iowa. The dorm room has two bedrooms and a common area for four people. Just her luck as the school year started her roommate signed up for a “support” animal – a hamster – and was approved. The hamster was put in their bedroom and although the roommate agreed that they would take care all things hamster, failed to maintain a clean environment. We quickly realized what this roommate was trying to do, they wanted our daughter to move out so she could have the bedroom to herself. Before the Christmas break the Hamster roommate gave up and moved out. It was an unbelievable experience for my daughter and the other two roommates, having to deal with a bad apple trying to abuse the system.
My daughter is a freshman at a large university in Iowa. The dorm room has two bedrooms and a common area for four people. Just her luck as the school year started her roommate signed up for a “emotional support” animal – a hamster – and was approved! The hamster was put in their bedroom and although the roommate agreed that they would take care all things hamster, failed to maintain a clean environment. We quickly realized what this roommate was trying to do, they wanted our daughter (& maybe the other roommates too) to move out so she could have the bedroom to herself. Before the Christmas break the Hamster roommate gave up and moved out. It was an unbelievable experience for my daughter and the other two roommates, having to deal with a bad apple trying to abuse the system.
My daughter is a freshman at a large university in Iowa. The dorm room has two bedrooms and a common area for four people. Just her luck as the school year started her roommate signed up for a “emotional support” animal – a hamster – and was approved ! The roommates were sent an email from the university about the approval (the roommate didn’t communicate to them). The hamster was put in their bedroom and although the roommate agreed that they would take care all things hamster, failed to maintain a clean environment. We quickly realized what this roommate was trying to do, they wanted our daughter (& maybe the other roommates too) to move out so she could have the bedroom to herself. Before the Christmas break the Hamster roommate gave up and moved out. It was an unbelievable experience for my daughter and the other two roommates, having to deal with a bad apple trying to abuse the system.
sorry for the multiple versions. Thought I was able to edit my comment, which caused the multiple entries.
“Growing number of college students” need to go home and grow up before venturing back out into the real world.
At the mature age of 18, I am pretty sure that if I had been able to finagle a support puppy, I would have done so. My intentions would not have been conniving, as in DaddyO’s experience, but falling under the category of “young and stupid”.
This is where you blame the institution for allowing it, rather than depending upon the wisdom of teens.