Service Animal: A service animal as per the ADA is defined as: “Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the owner's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, . . . retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. 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.”

Emotional Support Animal: The Fair Housing Act defines an emotional support animal as any animal that provides emotional support, well-being, or companionship that alleviates or mitigates symptoms of the disability; the animal is not individually trained. Emotional support animals are not limited to dogs and can be other species of animals. Emotional support animals are not considered service animals. In order to bring an emotional support animal to campus, the Owner must contact SAS no less than 60 days prior to arrival, in order to permit time to gather all necessary documentation. Animals should not be brought to campus prior to approval being granted.

Requests are typically submitted 60 days in advance of the desired date to bring an animal to campus. This will ensure all appropriate forms and documentation have been received and the notification to appropriate floor/suitemates to alert an animal will be in the vicinity. 60 days is a guideline and not a hard rule. There are multiple components to an emotional support animal request. We recommend completing a request in advance. 

Step 1. If you are not yet registered with our office please submit the online Intake form. We will notify you via email when your form is reviewed and processed by a SAS staff member.

Step 2. Upload all documentation to the Student Files section of the SAS Portal. You can only upload your files if your intake form has been processed by SAS.  You will be asked to submit all supporting documents to the Student Files section on the SAS Online Portal. Documents not submitted together may lead to delays in the review process. 

• Have your health provider complete the Verification Form, which you will submit online.

• Read and sign the last page of the Service and Emotional Support Animal On Campus Policy (PDF format)

• Submit an up-to-date rabies vaccine document

• Include a current photo of the animal

Step 3. Service Animal Registration and Emotional Support Animal Request Form. You should only fill out this form if you have completed the previous two steps.

Once all components are submitted, we will review, process and if approved, we will notify you of approval of the animal to come to campus. A SAS registry tag and registry number will be assigned to approved ESAs.  Please understand you are not to bring an emotional support animal to campus until it is officially approved. Unapproved animals on campus are subject to removal.

Verification form: your health provider will complete this form.  Please review the Documentation Guidelines carefully. You and your health provider should review these guidelines together to provide our office with the information we use to assess for accommodations. 

Documentation should be able to answer some general questions:

• What are the functional limitations of the disability?

• How do the functional limitations impact the living environment?

• What is the student unable to access in a residential setting?

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us via email at sas-housing@brown.edu.