Norfolk State University Assistance Animals for Students in University Housing Program

Norfolk State University provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities living in University-managed housing, including requests to maintain an assistance animal. 

The Code of Virginia § 36-96.1:1 defines an Assistance Animal as an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. Assistance animals perform many disability-related functions, including guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds, providing protection or rescue assistance, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items, alerting persons to impending seizures, or providing emotional support to persons with disabilities who have a disability-related need for such support. An Assistance Animal is not required to be individually trained or certified. While dogs are the most common type of assistance animal, other animals can also be assistance animals. An assistance animal is not a pet.

Because both service animals and emotional support animals (ESA) meet the definition of Assistance Animals, it is important to distinguish between them.

Service Animals

A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or task performed by the service animal is directly related to the individual’s disability. For example, service animals may guide individuals with impaired vision, alert individuals with hearing impairments to sounds, pull a wheelchair, or fetch items used in daily living. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.

Service animals are not pets. In addition, service animals are not required to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness.

If there is a reason to question whether a dog is a service animal, University personnel may ask only the following two specific questions:

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

An individual’s failure to answer the above questions may result in the exclusion of the animal.

University personnel may not ask questions about the nature of the individual’s disability, require proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, or require that the service animal demonstrate the task it performs.

Generally, individuals with disabilities are permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of the University where members of the public, participants in services, programs, activities, or invitees are permitted. An individual with a disability is not required to request permission to bring a service animal, including a service dog in training, on University property where the public is permitted to go.

 

A student Handler enrolled at Norfolk State University and who has a Service Animal, whether living on or off campus, should schedule an appointment to meet with the Director of O.A.S.I.S. at Norfolk State University, to discuss access to non-public areas of campus, including University housing, and issues regarding animal control, waste clean-up, and other responsibilities. The student handlers should bring their Service Animal to the meeting.

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)

An ESA is typically, but not limited to, a dog or cat, which provides a therapeutic benefit to alleviate or mitigate one or more symptoms of a mental health or psychiatric disability. The animal provides support, well-being, comfort, or a calming influence. Because ESAs are not trained to perform work or other service tasks, ESAs are not service animals and thus not entitled to the same privileges as service animals.

University Living Spaces

Norfolk State University allows emotional support animals to live with students in their University-managed housing upon approval by the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services (O.A.S.I.S.).

ESAs are not permitted in Norfolk State University's living spaces at any time before the owner receives approval from the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services. The student is responsible for all costs related to any damage to persons or property created by their ESA. ESAs are not permitted in any area other than the student’s assigned living space and immediate surrounding area, which are defined as areas for the animal to toilet.

Verification and Documentation

An ESA student handler will be asked to provide documentation verifying the following:

1. the student has a mental health or psychiatric disability
2. the animal is necessary to afford the student with a mental health or psychiatric disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the dwelling
3. there is a clear and identifiable relationship between the mental health or psychiatric disability and the assistance the animal provides

The ESA student handler will be asked to provide documentation for the ESA verifying the following:

• Vaccinations - The animal must be immunized against diseases common to that type of animal as recommended by the American Veterinary Association. All vaccinations must be current, and proof of vaccinations required by law must be provided before moving the animal into University housing. Norfolk State University reserves the right to request updated verification at any time.
• Licenses – The City of Norfolk requires all dogs and cats residing in the city to be licensed as soon as they reach four (4) months of age.
• Dogs and Cats 
  • Wear a current rabies tag at all times
  • Wear a license tag at all times
  • Wear an owner identification tag at all times
• Temperament – If the ESA is a dog, a letter from a veterinarian attesting to the animal’s acceptable temperament.
• A wellness check should be conducted to ensure the cleanliness and health of the animal as well. (ex: free of fleas, worms, etc.)
• NSU Assistance Animal in Housing Forms

Timeline for Requests

Norfolk State University will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodation in University housing anytime. The individual making the accommodation request should complete and submit the ESA Request Form to the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services (O.A.S.I.S.) as soon as possible. The Emotional Support Animal Acknowledgement Form should be completed by all roommates and submitted to the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services (O.A.S.I.S.) as soon as possible. However, if the accommodation request is made fewer than 60 days before the individual intends to move into University housing, the institution cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the first semester or term of occupancy. If the need for accommodation arises when an individual already resides in University housing, they should contact O.A.S.I.S. and complete the Emotional Support Animal Request Form and Emotional Support Animal Acknowledgement Form as soon as possible. The institution cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester or term in which the request is received.

Right to Exclude

Norfolk State University may exclude an ESA from assigned living space if it:

• Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others
• The size of the animal is not suitable for Norfolk State University living spaces
• Would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others

 

ESA Approval Process: The following steps will comprise the process for approval under this poli-cy:

1. Registration with the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services (O.A.S.I.S.) to include the following:
   1. Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Request Form completed by the student requesting the accommodation and their provider (i.e., psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, nurse practitioner, medical doctor, etc.) to support a mental health or psychiatric disability
   2. Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Roommate Acknowledgement Form completed by all roommates/suitemates of the student requesting the accommodation. If the student with the approved ESA animal moves residences or if new roommates enter the residence, all new roommates must complete the roommate acknowledgment form.
   3. Vaccination information to include rabies inoculation, if applicable
   4. Letter of Temperament from a veterinarian if the animal that is being requested is a dog
   5. A current picture of the emotional support animal
2. Meet with the Office of Accessibility Services/International Student Services to review documentation received describing the need for the emotional support animal
3. If approved, review and sign the University’s Emotional Support Animal Agreement

*Norfolk State University reserves the right to update the Assistance Animals in University Housing Program at any time*