Stanford University recognizes that support animals provide individuals with disabilities enhanced autonomy and independence. Through the Office of Accessible Education, Stanford allows qualified students to keep support animals (also known as emotional support animals or ESAs) in designated student housing as a reasonable accommodation. This policy ensures students with disabilities have equal access to housing while maintaining campus safety and community standards.
Legal Framework
Stanford University’s support animal policy complies with federal, state, and local laws protecting individuals with disabilities and ensuring equal access to housing. The key legal frameworks influencing this policy include:
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on disability and requires reasonable accommodations. Support animals that provide emotional support and alleviate symptoms of a disability qualify as reasonable accommodations in housing, even where pets are otherwise prohibited. Housing providers must exempt support animals from pet policies unless the exemption would cause an undue hardship.
The ADA distinguishes between service animals and support animals. Service animals, dogs or miniature horses trained to perform disability-related tasks, are generally permitted throughout campus. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support are not service animals under the ADA but may qualify as support animals under FHA housing laws.
Section 504 prohibits disability discrimination in federally funded programs and requires reasonable accommodations, including support animals in residential settings when medically necessary for equal access to housing and educational opportunities.
California provides additional protections for support animal owners through the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which protects against disability discrimination in housing and ensures the right to have support animals as reasonable accommodations in adherence with state law.
Fair Housing Act (FHA)
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on disability and requires reasonable accommodations. Support animals that provide emotional support and alleviate symptoms of a disability qualify as reasonable accommodations in housing, even where pets are otherwise prohibited. Housing providers must exempt support animals from pet policies unless the exemption would cause an undue hardship.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA distinguishes between service animals and support animals. Service animals, dogs or miniature horses trained to perform disability-related tasks, are generally permitted throughout campus. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support are not service animals under the ADA but may qualify as support animals under FHA housing laws.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 prohibits disability discrimination in federally funded programs and requires reasonable accommodations, including support animals in residential settings when medically necessary for equal access to housing and educational opportunities.
State and Local Laws
California provides additional protections for support animal owners through the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which protects against disability discrimination in housing and ensures the right to have support animals as reasonable accommodations in adherence with state law.
Who Qualifies for an Emotional Support Animal
Assistance Animals (ESAs)
Students with documented disabilities may keep a support animal in designated student housing if the animal provides emotional or other support/assistance that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of their disability. Documentation from a healthcare provider with an established & ongoing treatment relationship is required. Support animals are approved as a residential accommodation only.
Service Animals
Service animals are dogs (or in some cases miniature horses) individually trained to do work or perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability, such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, retrieving items for wheelchair users, or alerting/protecting individuals having seizures. Service animals are generally permitted throughout campus where students are permitted to go.
Application Process for an ESA
Step 1: Submit Registration and Documentation
Register with Office of Accessible Education (OAE) by submitting an intake form via the official site. Submit the animal registration form and documentation from a licensed healthcare provider that includes:
- Brief summary of the healthcare provider’s professional relationship to the student, including duration of time providing care
- Verification of disability status through diagnosis/identification of the disability or description of functional limitations experienced
- Statement on how the animal serves as an accommodation for the documented disability
- Explanation of why the animal’s assistance is necessary for the student to use and enjoy living arrangements provided by the University
Documentation may be submitted by online on OAE’s official email, faxed, or dropped off in person during business hours.
Step 2: Intake Appointment with Disability Adviser
Step 3: Assignment of Appropriate Housing
OAE notifies Housing Assignment Services and Housing Facilities of your approval. Housing Assignments identifies whether there is available appropriate student housing and notifies the student. Students may have to wait for available space. Stanford generally assigns support animals to:
- Designated single student studios, single student two-bedroom apartments, couple or family apartment-style options
- Select undergraduate housing buildings
- Three- and four-bedroom shared graduate units are designated as animal restricted
Residential staff, roommates, suitemates, and nearby neighbors may be notified of the support animal’s presence. If concerns arise, the University will conduct an individualized assessment and housing reassignments may be necessary.
Responsibilities of ESA Owners
- Maintain control of your animal at all times and follow all County leash laws.
- You are financially responsible for all bodily injury, property damage, cleaning expenses, and repairs caused by your animal.
- Maintain current vaccinations (dogs must have rabies vaccination), annual veterinary clean bill of health, proper licensing, and ensure the animal is housebroken.
- Your residence may be inspected for pests quarterly. You will be billed for any necessary pest treatment.
- Do not leave your animal unattended overnight. Take your animal with you when leaving campus overnight.
- Contain your animal during University Facilities visits, or staff will not enter to complete repairs.
Conflicting Needs and Resolutions
Stanford University is committed to accommodating both ESA owners and other residents who may have conflicting needs, such as allergies or phobias. Individuals with medical conditions that may be affected by the presence of an ESA should contact the Office of Accessible Education to discuss possible accommodations. The university will work to find a balanced solution that meets the needs of all parties involved.
Important Considerations
- Support animals are permitted only in your designated housing unit, not in common areas, other residential rooms, or other University buildings (libraries, classrooms, labs, etc.).
- Animals may be transported in carriers or on leash/harness through common areas only when traveling to/from the housing unit.
- Only one support animal per student will typically be approved on a case-by-case basis.
- Students may wait for available appropriate housing. Graduate students might wait until current residential agreements expire.
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