Emotional Support Animals at UMaine
Policy and Procedures
General Information
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides therapeutic emotional support, well-being, or companionship which alleviates or mitigates symptoms of a student’s disability. An ESA is recommended or part of a student’s treatment plan or known to mitigate the symptoms of a disability as confirmed by a licensed healthcare provider. An ESA is not a service dog or a pet. An ESA can be any common household animal as defined by the HUD guidelines (2020) (External Site). The animal must demonstrate a good temperament and reliable, predictable behavior. Generally, the presence of only one ESA will be approved for a student in order to fulfill the intent of the Fair Housing Act requirements in providing support to the student with a mental health disability. This policy applies solely to the specific requirements applicable to an individual’s use of an ESA in University housing. With the exception of Service Animals, UMS (University of Maine System) housing policies generally prohibit animals of any type in campus housing; however, an individual with a mental health disability may request an ESA through the UMS Student Accessibility/Disability Office on their campus as a reasonable accommodation.
No ESA may be kept in University housing at any time prior to the individual receiving approval as a reasonable accommodation pursuant to this policy. A request must be initiated by the student registering for disability accommodations with Student Accessibility Services.
Process to Request an Emotional Support Animal
Step 1) Read the University of Maine System Administrative Practice Letter (APL).
Step 2) Request to have the ESA by completing the Student Accommodation Request Form (or a supplemental accommodation request if the student already has some approved accommodations). If the student needs assistance in completing the written form, the student must contact the Disability/Accessibility Services Office to initiate the process.
Step 3) Provide a reliable form of documentation from a licensed healthcare provider who has personal knowledge of the student’s disability and need for an assistance animal in campus housing. It is recommended to utilize the ESA Documentation Form.
Step 4) Schedule an appointment with the Disability/Accessibility Services Office to discuss the request by logging into the Accommodate platform. Request an appointment from within the Accommodate platform. Appointments can be held in-person or via Zoom. Students will receive a confirmation email and will be asked to log into Accommodate to view the appointment details. During the appointment our staff will talk with you about your symptoms, identify reasonable accommodations, and give you detailed information about next steps.
Step 5) If the requested animal is approved, and prior to moving the animal on campus, the student will need to:
- Complete the UMS Acknowledgement and Release of Information Consent form
- Provide an off-campus emergency contact person. The emergency contact person cannot be another on-campus resident and could take responsibility for the animal if the student is not able to care for the animal.
- Provide updated vet records showing the animal’s current vaccinations on an annual basis/when vaccinations expire. Failure to comply will result in the ESA needing to be removed from campus.
Step 6) An approved ESA accommodation will be effective for a 9 or 12-month housing contract. Students can renew their accommodation for an ESA for the next academic year by letting the Accessibility/Disability Office know they want their ESA on campus again and by providing current vet records as needed. UMS reserves the right to request updated healthcare provider documentation for the student as part of this annual review.
Appeal Process
Students who feel that they have been unfairly denied a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at 207-581-1226 or 711 (Maine Relay) or equal.opportunity@maine.edu.