Emotional Support Animals

Iowa Central Community College is committed to providing individuals with disabilities equal access to campus programs and facilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and the Iowa Civil Rights Act (ICRA). Iowa Central acknowledges that an exception to its “no animal” policy may be a reasonable accommodation for some individuals, based on applicable laws and individual circumstances.

Iowa Central has adopted an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) policy to outline the procedures for requesting a support animal and the responsibilities of students who have an ESA in campus residences. An ESA is an animal that provides emotional or other support to help alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of an existing disability. Unlike service animals defined under the ADA, ESAs are neither considered service animals nor pets.

ESA applications and supporting documentation must be completed each year a support animal is requested. Students must submit their ESA application at least 30-60 days prior to their desired approval date.

Iowa Central remains mindful of the health and safety concerns of the campus community and must balance the needs of individuals with disabilities with the potential impact of ESAs on other students, faculty, and staff.

Animals on Campus (Board Policy 416)

Process

1. Submit your housing application
• Accommodations and housing will work together to the ESA.
2. Meet with your Health Care Provider
   • Provider must complete the “Request for Housing Assistance Animal as a Reasonable Accommodation in Housing” Form
3. Complete the Public Request form for Accommodations
• Select “Housing (Assistance Animal)
4. Welcome Meeting
• Schedule a welcome meeting with the accommodations coordinator to discuss the accommodation request and explore other possible accommodations and provide the required forms (found below). This meeting can occur before or after you meet with your healthcare provider.
• During or after the meeting, you will need to complete the Assistance Animal Agreement, which includes emergency contact consent for the ESA.
• During or after the meeting, you will need to provide emotional support animal veterinary documentation
  • Recent vaccinations up to date
  • Proof of spay/neuter
• After the meeting, your roommates will need to complete an ESA Roommate Agreement Form. These will be sent to them from the Accommodation Coordinator.
5. Approval and Notification
   • Once the Accommodation Office has received and reviewed your documentation, including your roommates’ agreement forms, and met with you, the coordinator will email you to inform you of the approval status and whether further documentation is required. If you are approved, the housing office will be copied in on that email.

Required Documentation

• Housing Application
• Request for Housing Assistance Animal
• Public Request Form (Accommodation Form)
• ESA Current Vaccinations
• Proof of ESA spay/neuter
• Assistance Animal Agreement
• Roommate ESA Agreement Form