Emotional Support Animals Policy

Custodian of Policy: Dean of Students

Effective Date: Summer 2026

Last Review: Spring 2026

Next Review: Spring 2033

Policy

In compliance with the Fair Housing Act (FHA), applicable law, Minnesota State Moorhead (herein known as “university”) is committed to allow emotional support animals (ESA), determined to be necessary, to provide students with mental or psychiatric disabilities an equal opportunity to use and enjoy University housing.

Pets, with the exception of fish, are not permitted in residence halls. The university will consider a request from a student with a documented mental health disability for reasonable accommodation to allow an emotional support animal (ESA).

Due to space limitations, only one ESA will be approved for a student.

No ESA may be in university housing at any time prior to the student receiving approval as a reasonable accommodation in writing from Accessibility Resources and following a meeting with a designated Housing and Residence Life staff member regarding expectations of having an ESA in university housing. Animals found to be in residence prior to this formal approval must be removed immediately. Failure to abide by this restriction will be considered a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and subject to conduct charges.

Approved ESAs are not permitted inside other campus buildings, rooms, or facilities except where the animal has been approved as a reasonable accommodation. An ESA must be contained within the handler’s assigned residence hall room or bedroom of the apartment or suite, except to the extent the individual is taking the animal out of the building.

The university has determined that the residence hall setting is not an appropriate environment in which to raise young animals. All ESAs should be at least 10 months of age, be spayed or neutered, housebroken or trained, and have received their first rabies vaccination (if applicable) before they can live in university housing.

The ESA must be kenneled or caged when the handler is not in their residence hall room or bedroom of the apartment or suite. The ESA must be properly housed and restrained, or otherwise under the control of the handler, at all times. No handler shall permit the animal to go loose or run at large. If an animal is found running at large, the animal is subject to capture and confinement and immediate removal from university housing.

The university may not permit, and/or may revoke a previously approved ESA, when the animal poses a substantial and direct threat to the health or safety or when the presence of the animal constitutes a fundamental alteration to the nature of the program or service. The university will make those determinations on a case-by-case basis.

Procedure for Requesting an ESA

Requests for ESAs in university housing are governed by the following guidelines:

  1. A student with a mental health disability will first complete the Accessibility Resources ESA Request Form. If the student requires assistance completing the forms due to a disability, Accessibility Resources will provide assistance.
    1. The university will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodation in university housing at any time; however, the priority date for submitting accommodation requests each academic year is June 1st.
    2. If the request for accommodation is made after June 1st, the university cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the student’s accommodation needs during the first semester or term of occupancy.
    3. The student making the request for accommodation should complete the ESA Request Form as soon as practically possible before moving into university housing.
    4. If the need for the accommodation arises when a student already resides in university housing, the student should contact Accessibility Resources and complete the ESA Request Form as soon as possible. The university cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester or term in which the request is received. In the event of allergies or discomfort, the student’s roommate will not be displaced to accommodate an ESA. If a space is not available for the requesting student, the implementation of the ESA accommodation must wait until space is available.
  2. After completing the ESA Request Form, the student must schedule a meeting with Accessibility Resources to discuss the accommodation request via accessibility@mnstate.edu or 218.477.2167.
    1. Documentation is required from a licensed provider who has established care with the student and their disability to be able to determine the necessity for the requested accommodation. A licensed provider includes, but is not limited to, a physician or other mental professional. The licensed provider party needs to be licensed in the State of Minnesota, North Dakota, or the state of residency of the student.
  3. Once the meeting has occurred and all documentation was received, the university will provide a written response to an ESA request within 14 business days of the form.

Approval of Accommodation for ESA

  1. If Accessibility Resources determines the requested accommodation for an ESA is necessary and not unreasonable, they will email the student and Housing and Residence Life of the conditionally approved accommodation.
  2. The letter from Accessibility Resources will include instructions on how to schedule a meeting with Housing & Residence Life.
    1. For this meeting, the student will need to provide the species, name of the ESA, emergency contact for the ESA if student is not available, and email a photo of the ESA to housing@mnstate.edu.
    2. The meeting will involve reviewing handler expectations of having an ESA in a residence hall.

Denial of Accommodation for ESA and Appeal Process

  1. If Accessibility Resources determines a requested accommodation is necessary but unreasonable, or neither necessary nor reasonable, Accessibility Resources will email the student within seven (7) business days of this determination. Accessibility Resources will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine if there are alternative accommodations that might effectively meet the student’s disability-related needs.
  2. If the student is unwilling to accept any alternative accommodation offered by Accessibility Resources or no alternative accommodations are available, Accessibility Resources will provide an email notification to the student of the denial, the reasons for the denial, the right to appeal the decision, and the procedures for that appeals process. The notification shall be in writing and made within seven (7) business days of the notification of the student’s unwillingness to accept the alternative accommodation(s) offered or the determination that there are no alternative accommodation(s) available.
  3. Students may also use the grievance procedure outlined in the University Student Complaints and Grievances Policy.

Responsibilities of Handler of an Approved ESA

If the university grants the student’s request to live with an ESA, the student is solely responsible for the custody and care of the ESA and must meet the following requirements:

  1. The handler must abide by current city, county, and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. It is the handler’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, which may include a license and vaccination certificate. City of Moorhead pet licensing information can be found at https://www.moorheadmn.gov/property-services/animal-services/.
  2. The handler is required to clean up after and properly dispose of the animal’s waste in a safe and sanitary manner. Waste from cages and litter boxes must be removed from the handler’s room/apartment/suite daily and taken to a dumpster outside the residence hall buildings. Puppy pads are not permitted. Regular cleaning and vacuuming of the residence hall room/apartment/suite and the animal’s litter box, kennel, or cage is expected. Litter and bedding must be changed regularly to prevent smells.
  3. Dogs must be taken outside by the handler for relief. When taking an animal outside the residence hall, the animal must be kenneled or leashed and the handler must use the most direct route to exit the building. Waste must be bagged immediately and taken to an outside dumpster.
  4. The animal will not be bathed, or its cage/crate, or bedding cleaned using university facilities.
  5. The handler is required to ensure the ESA is well cared for at all times. Any evidence of mistreatment, improper care, neglect, abandonment, or abuse may result in immediate removal of the ESA and/or discipline for the individual responsible.
  6. The university will not ask for or require an individual with a disability to pay a fee, surcharge or pet deposit for an approved ESA. The handler will be responsible for all costs associated with damage caused by the ESA to the same extent that the university charges other individuals for damages beyond reasonable “wear and tear.”
    1. The handler’s living accommodations may also be inspected for fleas, ticks, or other pests. If fleas, ticks, or other pests are detected, the residence will be treated using approved fumigation methods by a university approved pest control service. The handler will be billed for the expense.
    2. Charges may result from damage to the residence hall/apartment, furniture, flooring, etc. This may involve staff time for cleaning/maintenance and/or replacement of furniture, carpet, etc.
  7. The ESA may not be left unattended overnight in university housing or cared for by any individual other than the handler. If the handler is to be absent from the residence hall overnight or longer, the animal must accompany the handler. The handler is responsible for ensuring that the animal is contained (caged or kenneled), as appropriate, when the handler is not present during the day while away from the room. Proper containment is not to be understood as roaming freely within the individual’s residence hall room or bedroom of apartment or suite. The university reserves the right to inspect the enclosure to be used for containing the animal.
  8. The handler agrees to abide by all equally applicable residential policies that are unrelated to the individual’s disability such as assuring that the animal does not unduly interfere with the routine activities of the residence or cause difficulties for students who reside there.
  9. The ESA is allowed in university housing only as long as it is necessary because of the handler’s disability. The handler must notify Accessibility Resources in writing if the ESA is no longer needed or is no longer in residence. To replace an ESA, the new animal must be necessary because of the handler’s disability, and the handler must follow the procedures set forth in this policy to be approved. Accessibility Resources will inform Housing and Residence Life of any changes.
  10. MSUM personnel shall not be required to provide care for any ESA including, but not limited to, removing the animal during emergency evacuation for events such as a fire alarm. Emergency personnel will determine whether to remove the animal and may not be held responsible for the care, damage to, or loss of the animal. The handler will provide the university with the name and contact information of someone who does not reside in university housing and who can take responsibility for the animal should the handler be unable or unavailable to care for it.
  11. The individual must provide written consent for Accessibility Resources to disclose information regarding the request for and presence of the ESA to those individuals who may be impacted by the presence of the animal including, but not limited to, Housing and Residence Life personnel and potential or current roommate(s)/suitemate(s). Such information will be limited to the animal and will not include information directly related to the individual’s disability.
  12. The handler must fully cooperate with university personnel with regard to meeting the terms of this policy and developing procedures for care of the animal.
  13. Presence of an ESA must not interfere with the experience of other students in the residence hall community due to smells, noise, etc.
  14. Accessibility Resources and Housing and Residence Life will determine if removal of an ESA is necessary if any of the following occur:
    1. The animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
    2. There is neglect of care of the animal resulting in a threat to the health and safety of the ESA.
    3. The ESA’s presence results in a fundamental alteration of university programming or creates an unmanageable disturbance or interference with the university community.
    4. The handler fails to uphold the responsibilities set forth in this policy.
    5. Lack of cleaning and/or damage beyond normal “wear and tear.”

Should the ESA be removed from the premises for any reason, the handler is still obligated to fulfill the terms of their housing and dining contract.

If an individual is notified of the need to remove the animal, the individual is expected to comply within 48 hours. Failure to comply will result in a referral to Student Conduct. The university may remove the animal and surrender it to Animal Control or to an animal shelter. Any charges for surrendering the animal will be charged to the handler.

Definitions

  1. Handler
    1. A person with a mental health disability that an emotional support animal provides a therapeutic benefit while living in university housing.
  2. Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
    1. An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal which ameliorates the effects of a mental health disability. Unlike service animals that are trained to perform specific tasks that are important to the independence or safety of their disabled handler, ESAs are generally not trained to perform disability-specific tasks. Their therapeutic support is a function of their presence and interaction with the person with a disability. ESAs are not pets. Emotional support animals are typically dogs and cats but may include other animals. To be prescribed an emotional support animal by a physician or other medical professional, the person seeking such an animal must have a verifiable disability. The university’s Student Counseling Services does not provide letters prescribing ESAs. To be afforded protection under United States federal law, a person must meet the federal definition of disability and must have a note from a physician or other medical professional stating that the person has that disability and that the emotional support animal provides a benefit for the individual with the disability.
  3. Pet
    1. A pet is an animal kept for ordinary use and companionship. A pet is not considered a service or emotional support animal. Pets are not permitted in the facilities of MSUM and any pets on the grounds of MSUM must be under appropriate restraint (leash, cage, etc.) and must always be near the owner. MSUM may, in its sole discretion, require the removal of pets on its grounds for any reason, including but not limited to, failure to be appropriately restrained.
    2. Statement from Animals on Campus policy: Housing and Residence Life professional staff who live on campus may receive permission to house a pet. Those employees shall consult Housing and Residence Life for further information about this exception.

Rationale

Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) is committed to providing members of the MSUM community with disabilities equal access to programs, services and physical facilities. It is acknowledged that some members of the community with disabilities may require the use of Emotional Support Animals while at MSUM. MSUM reserves the right to amend these guidelines as needed, with or without prior notice.