Animals on Campus (Students)

As reflected in institutional policy, dogs and other pets (except service animals and approved emotional support animals) are not permitted in Institution buildings or on Institution property. 

We recognize that having a service animal on campus or an ESA in the residence hall can be a real benefit for someone with a significant disability.  The practical limitations of our campus and housing arrangements make it necessary to carefully consider the impact of the request for an animal on campus on both the student and the campus community.

Students who have service animals or emotional support animals should adhere to the applicable procedures regarding having their animals on campus.

​All students requesting accommodations are required to participate in an interactive process through the Student Accessibility Resources office.  The process includes submitting a request for accommodations form, participating in an access consultation and submitting appropriate documentation.  Together, the information gathered through these steps will be utilized to determine which accommodations for which you will be eligible at WVSU.  

• Service animals fall under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and it’s subsequent amendments in the ADAA. Service animals do not require formal approval to be on campus. The university does request those with service animals provide a voluntary notice of their presence so that we can ensure your access is not impeded on campus.
• Emotional support animals are considered under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and require formal approval.  The FHA indicates a person may keep an assistance animal in his/her residence hall or campus apartment as a reasonable accommodation if:
  • The individual has a disability;
  • The animal is necessary to afford the individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy campus housing; and 
  • There is an identifiable relationship between the disability and the assistance the animal provides.
• When approved, emotional assistance animals are allowed in the residence hall in which the individual with a disability is assigned by the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
• ​The approval process involves two important considerations: a determination if the ESA is necessary based on the documentation AND a determination if it is reasonable to be implemented by the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
• To be considered reasonable as an ESA, the animal must be a common household pet, fully vaccinated, toilet trained/house broken and not engage in any concerning or dangerous behaviors. Animals that are primarily contained in a cage or terrarium (such as hamsters, rabbits, turtles or other rodents) do not have to meet the toilet training requirement, but the cage or terrarium must be kept clean and sanitary. The presence of an animal that poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, including the potential transmission of zoonotic diseases such as is the case with some reptiles and rodents, is a factor in determining the reasonableness of an ESA request.
• It is important to remain in contact with the Director with Disability Resources who will assist you through the process outlined below. Monitor your WVSU email account for updates regarding your request which will be sent from sar@wvstateu.edu.
• It can take a considerable amount of time to complete all the steps.  This is partially dependent on your mental health provider’s speed of response as well as the quality and depth of the documentation submitted. ​The process should be initiated prior the housing deadline for the given semester.​

The following interactive process is utilized in determining if an emotional support animal will be approved as a reasonable accommodation and allowed in our residential housing.

STEP 1 – Request

To initiate the process, you will need to complete and submit the Request for Access form which is available online by using the following link:

Request for Access form link – click here

If assistance is needed in completing the form, you may request this by email, text, phone or in-person at 117 Sullivan Hall East

STEP 2 – Documentation  

Documentation plays a vital role in the process. It must be from a licensed provider of mental health services and include sufficient detail to make it clear you are an individual with a disability as well as a clear connection between your disability and why the ESA is being recommended and may be required in order for you to use and enjoy university housing. As we find information in letters from providers can be insufficient or inadequate, you are highly encouraged to utilize the Disability Verification Form to obtain the documentation. The form guides your mental health provider in thoroughly explaining why an emotional support animal is being recommended. Your mental health provider may utilize their own format as long as the information sought by the questions on our verification form is included.

Disability Verification Form link – click here

If you utilize our form, you will need to sign on page 1 to provide consent before forwarding to your provider. Once completed, you or the provider can submit the PDF form when completing the request form, using the link below, emailing to sar@wvstateu.edu or mailing to 117 Sullivan Hall East, PO Box 1000, Institute, WV 25112.

Documentation Submission link – click here

STEP 3 – Access Consultation

The access consultation provides you the opportunity to discuss your request for an emotional support animal with the Director. To help you prepare for the access consultation, you can review the information available here. You will need to attend and participate in the consultation appointment which can be done in-person or virtually/remotely on our online telehealth platform.

STEP 4 – Committee Review

Once all information is received it will be initially evaluated by the Director of Disability Resources. The Director will determine if sufficient information has been received to support the request. If additional information is needed at this point, you will be advised of what information is being sought. If sufficient information is received, it will be presented to the Housing Accommodation Committee who will review the request and make a determination.

STEP 5 – Initial Status Notification

Once the committee makes its determination, the Director of Disability Resources will send you a notice indicating either preliminary approval or denial. If denied, you will be advised of the reasons why it is denied and provided the opportunity to address them by providing additional information. Moving from a preliminary approval to a formal approval is contingent on completing the the next step.

STEP 6 – University Forms

Once you have your housing assignment, final approval of an emotional support animal as a housing accommodation is contingent upon the completion and submission of the following University forms:

• Guidelines and Agreement for Assistance Animals in University Housing form – this outlines both your and the Universities responsibilities in regards to animals on campus. This is considered a formal agreement and contract. Violations of the terms can result in negative consequences, up to and including revocation of the approval of the animal to be on campus.
• Animal Registration for University Housing form – this provides information and details about your animal. You will be providing documents such as veterinary records, a picture of the animal as well as the results of an animal behavior questionnaire that is available online.
• Roommate/Suitemate Acknowledgement forms – as most housing assignments are for a multiple occupancy unit, the form applies to the vast majority of cases. Each roommate/suitemate must acknowledge they are aware an animal will be in the unit and advise if there are any concerns. Approval of the animal on campus is not contingent on an absence of any concerns, but we will work through any that are communicated to us.

STEP 7 – Final Status Notification

Once all applicable forms are received and if no issues or concerns arise based on the information submitted in the Animal Registration form, you will receive another status update indicating when the formal approval has been granted.

STEP 8 – Implementation

After the formal approval, you will need to coordinate with the Office of Housing and Residence Life regarding arranging for when you will be able to bring the assistance animal into the residence hall.

STEP 9 – Renewals

Approvals are on a semester basis. In each subsequent semester you are interested in utilizing the accommodation, you will need to submit a brief version of the request form to renew the accommodation.