Her story is suspect. Pet dander and saliva proteins do not cause skin lesions. They cause respiratory symptoms, as well as itchy/red eyes and a runny nose.

She needs to document a disability with the disability office and demand they accommodate her. She will need to provide a doctor’s letter stating she is allergic to X, Y and Z. She has to go to an allergist and get a back prick panel for common allergens.

All my son’s officially recognized disabilities are accommodated at his university.

My DD told me there are pets at her state school, in dorms, Greek housing and on-campus apartments. Cats and dogs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"The school said they can't force people to remove pets because it is emotional support animals."

"If you can't guarantee there will be no animals, I will still need to be in the only guaranteed pet-free room, which is the respite room"

It seems pretty straight forward. If they wont police their own rules, they shouldnt expect someone with known allergies to stay there when there is a perfect solution already in place.

They told her she can't stay in the respite room because they need to free it up for social conflict issues (I guess where roommates are fighting or something?)

So she has not moved yet? I’d tell her to refuse to move.

They are forcibly moving her. As in they said the facilities would show up to move her stuff out of the room by a certain date whether she agreed or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ESA’s are covered under Fair Housing laws but not ADA. So they are allowed in dorms with documentation.

But a university should be able to put together a suite of people with no pets for her.

Sadly it's very easy to get ESA papers whether one legitimately qualifies or not.

So what? It's not really your business so long as your kid with allergies can be kept away from them, if needed. The issue with the OP is the latter and not that there are pets in dorms.

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I don’t know what is standard now but I feel for her. I have lots of allergies and asthma and when I was in college the issue was smoking. My college experience was really marred by it.

She needs to keep sticking up for herself and making the point that her allergies are an ADA and health issue.

I signed up for a nonsmoking roommate and was matched with someone who smoked. When I told her this wasn’t going to work, she told me she signed up as “nonsmoking” because she didn’t want to live with a smoker but was hoping her room mate would be “flexible.”

I wasn’t. It ended.

That said, I’ve heard more than a few times that colleges are obligated to accommodate ESAs but not necessarily for allergies. So students with allergies or prone to similar problems can be matched with a student with a cat and they’re stuck. And that would suck.

Anonymous wrote:First of all the school should require documentation for someone claiming they need a support animal (like I think airlines do).

Your relative can get documentation that they require a pet free room (or a single).
It is not the problem you make it out to be.

So the 19th amendment and the VRA were no biggies?

If the school won’t assist, then she might need to transfer or move off campus. At this point her health is more important than fighting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"The school said they can't force people to remove pets because it is emotional support animals."

"If you can't guarantee there will be no animals, I will still need to be in the only guaranteed pet-free room, which is the respite room"

It seems pretty straight forward. If they wont police their own rules, they shouldnt expect someone with known allergies to stay there when there is a perfect solution already in place.

They told her she can't stay in the respite room because they need to free it up for social conflict issues (I guess where roommates are fighting or something?)

So she has not moved yet? I’d tell her to refuse to move.

Ugh. I don’t know what is standard now but I feel for her. I have lots of allergies and asthma and when I was in college the issue was smoking. My college experience was really marred by it.

She needs to keep sticking up for herself and making the point that her allergies are an ADA and health issue.

Welcome to the world of the selfish, weak-minded, overly self righteous world of college campuses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ESA’s are covered under Fair Housing laws but not ADA. So they are allowed in dorms with documentation.

But a university should be able to put together a suite of people with no pets for her.

Sadly it's very easy to get ESA papers whether one legitimately qualifies or not.

I'm the one who wrote that, and I'm not reporting how I think it should or shouldn't be, just how it is.

But it seems like the University could put out something asking for people who are allergic to dander, or afraid of animals, and would like to live on a dedicated floor or suite or however they do it. Some Universities have apartments as an option, which might be a way to do this with a smaller group. If a university can offer a student priority for a single, for medical reasons, they can offer a student priority for an apartment too.

Anonymous wrote:ESA’s are covered under Fair Housing laws but not ADA. So they are allowed in dorms with documentation.

But a university should be able to put together a suite of people with no pets for her.

Sadly it's very easy to get ESA papers whether one legitimately qualifies or not.

Anonymous wrote:ESA’s are covered under Fair Housing laws but not ADA. So they are allowed in dorms with documentation.

But a university should be able to put together a suite of people with no pets for her.

Oh thank you. Good to know!

Dorms are usually dirty, specially shared baths.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How disgusting!

pets are probably cleaner than the average Frat boy! And how is your post helpful? I personally think dorms are terrible places for animals and they should try to limit them

Average frat boy walks outside without shoes, sniffs dirty stuff, showers once a month, licks his privates, doesn't brush teeth, doesn't wash himself after urination or defecation?