Emotional Support Animals in On-Campus Housing
- Completed Housing Accommodation Request Form
- Vaccination and licensing records, which will be requested at some point by BYU On-Campus Housing Office; contact BYU Housing for species-related requirements
- Signed and dated letter (not Accessibility Center Documentation of Disability Form) printed on professional letterhead from the physical or mental healthcare provider or licensed therapist who is treating the resident. If the healthcare provider is practicing under a supervisor’s license, then both the healthcare provider and the supervisor must sign the letter. The Accessibility Center accepts documentation from health care providers who have personal knowledge of the resident through an established, professional relationship involving the provision of health care or disability-related services and who are practicing within their ethical, legal, and professional obligations. As a result, online sources of documentation (e.g., esa-letter.com, the dogtor.net) will generally not be accepted unless they meet these standards, and letters from family members will not be accepted due to professional and ethical considerations. The letter must be current within six months of submission and the last treatment session.
At minimum, the letter should include:
- Disability – a statement that the resident has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and describes how the resident is substantially impaired in those major life activities. (Simply stating a diagnosis does not communicate how the condition substantially impairs a major life activity. Examples of major life activities include caring for self, eating, concentrating, interacting with others, learning, thinking, sleeping, working, etc.)
- Necessity of an Emotional Support Animal – a statement that the Emotional Support Animal provides a therapeutic benefit in alleviating one or more of the identified effects of the disability (specifically, the effects on major life activities) and how the Emotional Support Animal mitigates the effects of the disability. (General statements like “reduces anxiety” or “provides comfort” do not provide enough information.)
- Contact Dates – the date when the provider first met with the resident regarding the disability, and the date of the last professional interaction with the resident regarding the disability.
- Type of Animal – the type of animal that is requested.
Documentation should be specifically written to provide support for an Emotional Support Animal in BYU on-campus housing. Please send completed documentation to gerilynn_vorkink@byu.edu.
For more information, see BYU’s Animals on University Property Policy and Animals on University Property Procedures. Please note that the individual who will have the Emotional Support Animal is the person who needs to review the policy and procedures, complete the Housing Accommodation Request Form, obtain and submit the Emotional Support Animal letter, and make and attend an appointment at the Accessibility Center. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. Accessibility Center hours are 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, with the exception of Devotionals and campus holidays.
Sample ESA Letter from a Service Provider [must be on professional letterhead]
[Date] (must be within six months of last treatment session)
Dear BYU Accessibility Center:
[Full Name of Resident] is my patient, and I affirm that I have a personal knowledge of [first name] through a professional relationship involving the provision of health care or disability-related services and that I am practicing within my ethical, legal, and professional obligations. Due to professional and ethical considerations, I also affirm that I am not a member of [first name]’s family. It is my professional opinion that [first name] has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity[ies]. Specifically, my patient is substantially limited in the following major life activity[ies]: (Examples of major life activities include breathing, caring for self, eating, concentrating, interacting with others, learning, thinking, sleeping, working, etc.) in the following ways: [describe how the patient is substantially impaired in the major life activities].
I first met with my patient regarding this condition on [date], and the date of my last professional interaction with my patient regarding this condition was [date].
It is anticipated that the presence of an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) will have a therapeutic benefit in alleviating one or more of the identified effects of [first name]’s disability in the following specific ways: [list ways that the ESA will mitigate the effects of the disability for this particular patient; general statements like “reduces anxiety” or “provides comfort” do not provide enough information.]. Thus, in my professional opinion, an ESA is necessary in order for [first name] to use fully and enjoy BYU on-campus housing. Therefore, I am prescribing a [type (and, if applicable, breed) of animal] that will assist [first name] with the symptoms of [his/her] disability.
I am competent to make an assessment regarding the assistive and/or therapeutic benefits of ESAs for people with disabilities such as that experienced by [first name]. I am familiar with the professional literature concerning the therapeutic benefits of assistance animals for people with disabilities such as that experienced by [first name]. Upon request, I will share citations to relevant studies, and, with the appropriate release, would be happy to answer questions you may have concerning my recommendation that [full name of resident] have an ESA in BYU on-campus housing. Should you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
[Signature of Professional (psychotherapist, psychologist, physician, psychiatrist, rehabilitation counselor); if professional is practicing under a supervisor’s license, supervisor must also sign]
[Name, Credentials and License #, Address and Contact Information of Professional(s)]
At minimum, the letter should include:
- Disability – a statement that the resident has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and describes how the resident is substantially impaired in those major life activities. (Simply stating a diagnosis does not communicate how the condition substantially impairs a major life activity. Examples of major life activities include caring for self, eating, concentrating, interacting with others, learning, thinking, sleeping, working, etc.)
- Necessity of an Emotional Support Animal – a statement that the Emotional Support Animal provides a therapeutic benefit in alleviating one or more of the identified effects of the disability (specifically, the effects on major life activities) and how the Emotional Support Animal mitigates the effects of the disability. (General statements like “reduces anxiety” or “provides comfort” do not provide enough information.)
- Contact Dates – the date when the provider first met with the resident regarding the disability, and the date of the last professional interaction with the resident regarding the disability.
- Type of Animal – the type of animal that is requested.
Documentation should be specifically written to provide support for an Emotional Support Animal in BYU on-campus housing. Please send completed documentation to gerilynn_vorkink@byu.edu.