Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals at Coppin State University

Coppin State University is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible campus environment for all students, including those with disabilities. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the University provides reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to programs, services, and housing. This policy outlines the distinction between Service Animal and Emotional Support Animal (ESA), establishes procedures for requesting accommodations, and affirms the University’s commitment to supporting students while maintaining a safe and healthy campus community.

Service Animal

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a Service Animal is defined as a dog (or, in limited cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.

Examples of service animal tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision
• Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Pulling a wheelchair
• Assisting during a seizure
• Providing physical support or balance assistance
• Interrupting self-harming behaviors
• Reminding an individual to take prescribed medication

Service Animals are working animals, not pets. Students who utilize a service animal are not required to register the animal as an accommodation with the University. However, they are strongly encouraged to notify the Center for Counseling and Accessibility (CCA) to facilitate campus awareness and support.

Service Animals are permitted to accompany their handler in all areas of the University where the public is normally allowed. Staff may ask only two questions to determine if an animal is a service animal:

1. Is the animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

No documentation or proof of training may be required.

Emotional Support Animal (ESA)

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) provides emotional comfort, companionship, or support that alleviates one or more symptoms of a person’s diagnosed disability. ESAs are not trained to perform specific tasks and therefore do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), ESAs may be approved as a reasonable accommodation in University Housing for students with documented disabilities.

• ESAs are not permitted in classrooms, campus buildings, or other public areas of the University.
• Students seeking approval for an ESA must submit a formal accommodation request to the Center for Counseling and Accessibility (CCA).
• Requests must include supporting documentation from a licensed healthcare provider that verifies the student’s disability and the necessity of the ESA to support the student’s use and enjoyment of University housing.
• ESA approval applies only to the student’s assigned housing space and does not grant the animal public access rights elsewhere on campus.

Key Distinctions