Abstract
As mental health issues such as anxiety and depression have become more prevalent on college campuses, requests for emotional support animals have also increased (Hoffman, 2015; Von Bergen, 2015). The case of United States v. University of Nebraska at Kearney has been recognized as establishing the foundational legal guidelines for how institutions should respond. This essay provides an overview of the case, discusses its implications for policy and practice, and examines its impact on students. For the purposes of this paper, emotional support animals are defined as any animal that provides “support, well-being, comfort, aid, or a calming influence through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life simply by being close to their handler” (Von Bergen, 2015, p. 21). The terms “mental health issues” and “disabilities” will be used interchangeably throughout this paper and will be defined under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Through the ADA, an individual with a disability is defined as, “a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment” (Disability Rights, 2009)
Recommended Citation
Goss, Elisabeth
(2016)
"Emotional Support Animals and University Housing: United States of America v. University of Nebraska at Kearney.,"
MAGIS: Vol. 10:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/magis/vol10/iss1/8