Emotional Support Animals

Federal law (Fair Housing Act) allows individuals with disabilities the presence of emotional support animals (ESA) in university housing. Emotional Support Animals are a category of animals that may provide assistance or emotional support to an individual with a disability that alleviates one or more identified symptoms of an individual’s disability, but which are not considered Service Animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ESAs are not pets.

If a student wants to have an ESA on campus, they are required to provide an Emotional Support Animal Request Form and complete a CDAR Application. Page 3 of the request form needs to be filled out and signed by the student; pages 4-8 need to be completed by the student’s health care professional — e.g., physician, optometrist, psychiatrist, psychologist, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner or nurse — confirming the student’s disability-related need for an ESA based on their personal knowledge of the student.

Once this form is completed in full return it in person or fax it to (208) 885-9404, or email it to cdar@uidaho.edu. If your medical provider prefers to use their own form that, they will need to include all the necessary information that is within the ESA request form and include the Emotional Support Animal Fax Cover Sheet when submitting documentation to CDAR.

IMPORTANT: All paperwork must be completed and approved prior to moving an ESA into any University of Idaho housing. Failure to do so may result in housing requesting that the animal be removed until the appropriate process is completed.