Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Exception 2: Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

An ESA is a domesticated and common household animal that may be approved as a reasonable accommodation for students or employees with a documented disability. ESAs must be requested and approved by the appropriate office.

ESAs as an Accommodation

An ESA is domesticated and common household animal that may be approved as a reasonable accommodation for students or employees with a documented disability. ESAs must be requested and approved the appropriate office.

Students should contact Student Accessibility Services to request an ESA
Employees should contact Linda Koenig (lkoenig@ithaca.edu), the IC ADA Coordinator, to request an ESA

An approved ESA is generally considered to be an accommodation to the college’s prohibition on animals/pets in housing. Before an approved ESA is allowed on campus, the handler must agree to and sign the appropriate form detailing various regulations, handler responsibilities, liability for damages caused by the animal, and care guidelines.

Students should fill out the Residential Life Animal Agreement
Employees should fill out the Extended Housing Agreement.

ESA Expectations

Gray cat sleeping on the back of a chair

The ESA handler is responsible for maintaining the good behavior of the animal.
ESAs must not pose a direct threat to the IC community.
ESAs must be licensed and vaccinated in accordance with state and local laws. Vaccination records must be provided upon request.
An approved ESA may be allowed in the approved handler's specific residence hall room. When outside of the immediate residence, the ESA must be under the control of the handler and appropriately leashed or restrained (i.e., in an appropriate carrier or crate). Approved ESAs are not allowed into any other buildings.
The ESAs waste is the sole responsibility of the handler and must be immediately and appropriately disposed of in sealed plastic bags and placed into an exterior dumpster.
The regular care of an ESA including bathing, feeding, meeting state/local animal mandates, and responding to the medical needs of the animal is the sole responsibility of the handler.
ESAs should not interfere with the health and safety of the IC community. If such situations arise, the handler may be required to work with the College to address concerns.
The ESA owner/handler is financially responsible for any damages or costs caused by the ESA.
The handler must provide emergency contact information for the ESA in the event the handler becomes suddenly and/or temporarily unavailable or unable to care for the ESA.

Policy Compliance

Handlers who are unable or unwilling to maintain the good behavior of their ESA may be referred to Student Conduct.

Failure to comply with the general policy and/or misrepresentation of documentation illustrating the need for an ESA may result in conduct referrals and appropriate sanctions including the required removal of an animal.