Emotional Support Animals

• Completed Housing Accommodation Request Form
• Vaccination and licensing records, which will be requested at some point by BYU On-Campus Housing Office; contact BYU Housing for species-related requirements
• Signed and dated letter (not UAC Documentation of Disability Form) printed on professional letterhead from the physical or mental healthcare provider or licensed therapist who is treating the student. If the healthcare provider is practicing under a supervisor’s license, then both the healthcare provider and the supervisor must sign the letter. The letter must be current within six months of the last treatment session.
  At minimum, the letter should include:
  
  
  • Disability – a statement that the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and describes how the student is substantially impaired in those major life activities; simply stating a diagnosis does not communicate how the condition substantially impairs a major life activity. Examples of major life activities include caring for self, eating, concentrating, interacting with others, learning, thinking, sleeping, working, etc.
  • Necessity of an Emotional Support Animal – a statement that the Emotional Support Animal provides a therapeutic benefit in alleviating one or more of the identified effects of the disability and how the Emotional Support Animal mitigates the symptoms or effects of the disability; general statements like “reduces anxiety” or “provides comfort” do not provide enough information
  • Contact Dates – the date when the provider first met with the student regarding the disability, and the date of the last professional interaction with the student regarding the disability
  • Type of Animal – the type of animal that is requested
  • BYU-specific recommendation – a salutation specifically written to BYU University Accessibility Center or a statement referencing BYU on-campus housing

Note: The UAC accepts documentation from healthcare providers who have personal knowledge of the student through a professional relationship involving the provision of healthcare or disability-related services and who are practicing within their ethical, legal, and professional obligations. As a result, online sources of documentation (e.g., esa-letter.com, thedogtor.net) will generally not be accepted unless they meet these standards. The student must have had an actual appointment (could be remote) with the provider; email exchanges alone are not sufficient. Letters from family members will not be accepted due to professional and ethical considerations. See “Sample Emotional Support Animal Letter from a Service Provider” below. Also see BYU’s Animals on Campus Policy and Animals on Campus Procedures.




Sample ESA Letter from a Service Provider [must be on professional letterhead]

[Date] (must be within six months of last treatment session)

Dear BYU University Accessibility Center:

[Full Name of Resident] is my patient, and I affirm that I have a personal knowledge of [first name] through a professional relationship involving the provision of health care or disability-related services and that I am practicing within my ethical, legal, and professional obligations. Due to professional and ethical considerations, I also affirm that I am not a member of [first name]’s family. It is my professional opinion that [first name] has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity[ies]. Specifically, my patient is substantially limited in the following major life activity[ies]: (Examples of major life activities include breathing, caring for self, eating, concentrating, interacting with others, learning, thinking, sleeping, working, etc.) in the following ways: [describe how the patient is substantially impaired in the major life activities].

I first met with my patient regarding this condition on [date], and the date of my last professional interaction with my patient regarding this condition was [date].

It is anticipated that the presence of an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) will have a therapeutic benefit in alleviating one or more of the identified effects of [first name]’s disability in the following specific ways: [list ways that the ESA will mitigate the effects of the disability for this particular patient; general statements like “reduces anxiety” or “provides comfort” do not provide enough information.]. Thus, in my professional opinion, an ESA is necessary in order for [first name] to use fully and enjoy BYU on-campus housing. Therefore, I am prescribing a [type (and, if applicable, breed) of animal] that will assist [first name] with the symptoms of [his/her] disability.

I am competent to make an assessment regarding the assistive and/or therapeutic benefits of ESAs for people with disabilities such as that experienced by [first name]. I am familiar with the professional literature concerning the therapeutic benefits of assistance animals for people with disabilities such as that experienced by [first name]. Upon request, I will share citations to relevant studies, and, with the appropriate release, would be happy to answer questions you may have concerning my recommendation that [full name of resident] have an ESA in BYU on-campus housing. Should you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[Signature of Professional (psychotherapist, psychologist, physician, psychiatrist, rehabilitation counselor); if professional is practicing under a supervisor’s license, supervisor must also sign]

[Name, Credentials and License #, Address and Contact Information of Professional(s)]