An emotional support animal is defined as an animal that is necessary to afford an individual with a mental health-related disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing. Students may not have emotional support animals in Colorado College housing without express approval from Accessibility Resources and Housing & Residential Experience.

Please contact Accessibility Resources for complete information on the college's emotional support animal guidelines, including the process for requesting to have an emotional support animal in college housing and documenting that it is necessary.

Approved emotional support animals:

• are allowed in the student's assigned housing space only and must be crated or caged when unattended in the student's room
• are not permitted in common areas of students' residence halls or in any other college buildings (e.g., libraries, academic buildings, classrooms, labs, Worner Campus Center)
• must be in an animal carrier or controlled by an appropriate harness or short leash when outside of the student's room
• may not be left unattended in the student's room for an unreasonable amount of time, as appropriate for the animal
• may not remain in campus housing if the student is to be absent from college housing overnight or longer
• may not be cared for on campus by any individual other than the student approved for the emotional support animal

A student may be required to remove an emotional support animal from campus if:

• there are violations of the student's responsibilities that are outlined in the college's emotional support animal guidelines, such as ensuring proper cleanup the the animal's waste (Note: Solid waste-including litter-must be placed in sturdy, securely tied bags before being disposed of in outside trash dumpsters.)
• the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others
• other situations arise that negatively impact the campus environment

A note regarding documentation for emotional support animals:

There is a growing number of online services that offer to certify emotional support animals or write emotional support animal documentation for a set price. There is no formal, recognized certification of emotional support animals, and letters obtained through these services will rarely provide the information necessary to support a request to have an emotional support animals in campus housing. Therefore, such letters are generally not viewed as a reliable source of information.

Additionally, documentation from mental health care professionals who do not have an established relationship with the student may not be considered reliable, as those providers may not be sufficiently familiar with the student, the student’s disability, and the need for an emotional support animal.

Students should contact Accessibility Resources for guidance on the documentation needed for their individual situations.