taking your best friends to campus c. w. von bergen southeastern oklahoma state university, durant,...
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Taking Your Best Friends to Campus
C. W. Von Bergen Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK
Beth Von Bergen Lanier Middle School, Houston, TX Alison Wells
University of Houston Americans emphasis on our rights Changing
attitudes toward animals
Increased Importance of Taking Animals EverywhereIncluding College
Campuses Americans emphasis on our rights Changing attitudes toward
animals Increasing numbers of students with mental illness A nation
of scammers (?) Americans Emphasis on Rights A Long History
They all go about with their constitution in their pockets
demanding their rights. Manuel de Mier y Tern Mexican General, 1828
Americans are still vigorously asserting their rights and one that
seems to be gaining momentum in todays workplace is employees
insistence that business waive their no pets policies so that they
can bring their animals to work with them. Battle of the Alamo,
February 23 March 6, 1836. Before looking at business, however,
lets look at a few other areas. Changing Attitudes Toward
Animals
Why such change? Many people today feel their pet is a member of
the family Breakdown in relationships resulting in a greater
dependence on pets for friendship and social support Greater
understanding of the health benefits associated with human-animal
bonds PETA A Paradigmatic Shift in Attitudes and Behavior Toward
Animals in Western Societies
Western society is currently experiencing what is commonly referred
to as a paradigm shift in attitudes and behavior towards companion
animals. Let me illustrate this change. When I was a young boy Id
go to my Grandparents house for Sunday lunch and sometimes we would
have chicken and my grandmother would go out in her back yard and
select a chicken for our meal and she would catch it and then chop
its head off. I was always captivated in seeing our dinner running
around without a head. Sometimes I would help her pluck feathers.
Now PETA would not think kindly of that activity. Changing
Attitudes Toward Animals: Resulting In
Increase spending on pet products and veterinary services Pet
cemeteries Pet behavioral training and therapy Welfare concerns for
animals (free range animals; circus elephants) Prenuptial
agreements for pets (e.g., prepups) are gaining popularity Wanting
to bring animals everywhereincluding school The College Student
Mental Health Crisis
Todays college students are suffering from an epidemic of mental
illnesses. According to the Association for University and College
Counseling Center Directors survey of counseling center directors,
95% of college counseling center directors surveyed said the number
of students with significant psychological problems is a growing
concern in their center or on campus. Posted Feb 15, 2014 A Nation
of Scammers, Connivers Cheats, and Law Benders?
Underage drinkers who flash fake I.D.s Able-bodied adults who drive
cars with handicapped license plates Parents who use a phony
address so that their child can attend a more desirable school or
play sports for a certain school Customers with 30 items who stand
in the express lane dedicated to those patrons having 10 or fewer
items Unfit for work: the startling rise of disability in America
Have We Become A Nation OfScammers? A Nation of Scammers,
Connivers, Cheats, and Law Benders?
Here we have a person bringing her alpaca to a drugstore. Retrieved
from the New Yorker at Restaurant Customer with Snake: Said It Was
His Service Animal
Some customers in a Springfield, Missouri restaurant earlier this
week were on edge while trying to enjoy their meal. Thats because a
man walked in with a snake, claiming it was his service animal.
Lisa Loeffelholz was dining at the restaurant at the time. We had
just gotten our meal and in walks this lady and man and the lady
had the snake around her neck at first, and it started to slither
off of her neck down into the booth behind her, she said. Terri
Potts,Lisas Mother, said it was pretty scary. She was pulling it,
and I just started trembling and we gotta get out of here, we gotta
get out of here. They say the woman handed it across the table to
the man, when Lisa snapped a photo picture and immediately
expressed her concern to their server. The manager came over to us
and said it was his service animal, said Loeffelholz, So we have to
allow him to stay. So thats when my mom and I and the girls decided
that we would not stay. Student and Her Buddy (Pot-Bellied
Pig)
Rachel Boerner, 29, was escorted off a US Airways flight at a
Connecticut airport after her 'emotional support' pot-bellied pig,
Hobey, who was with her in the cabin started defecating on the
floor and squealing uncontrollably. Above, Miss Boerner is pictured
with Hobey. Air Carrier Access Act requires that people with
disabilities be permitted to use ESAs in a variety of settings,
including airplanes. Dorm rooms University housing Classrooms
Campus jobs
Pet Owners Who Want to Take Their Animals Everywhere: Including
Colleges and Universities Dorm rooms University housing Classrooms
Campus jobs A Muddled and Uncoordinated Taxonomy of Animals
companion animals comfort animals emotional assistance animals
visitation animals therapy animals support animal social/therapy
animals assistive animals public service animals assistance animals
psychiatric service animals seeing-eye dog, guide dog, hearing dog,
mobility assistance dog, seizure-alert dog, yada, yada, yada
service animals emotional support animals (ESAs) pets Different
states may have different names or labels. Three Key Animal
Categories
Service Animalsany guide dog, signal dog, or other dog (an
exception for miniature horses) trained to do work or perform tasks
for the benefit of an individual with a disability; no definition
of amount or type of work provided; not required to be registered
or wear a special tag or vest Emotional Support Animal (ESA)a
companion animal that provides therapeutic benefit through
non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life to
an individual with a verifiable mental or psychiatric disability
(generally a letter from a mental health provider); its mere
presence provides a disability-related benefit, but it has not been
trained to perform specific tasks or work for an individual Petsthe
affectionate term for animals kept for pleasure, comfort, love, and
friendship; sometimes called household pets Service animal
definition taken from the Dept. of Justice talks about dogs (no
specific breeds or sizes) while other laws like FHA includes other
animals. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be
directly related to the individuals disability. Service dogs need
not be licensed, certified, or registered as a service animal, and
are not required to wear a special tag, collar, harness, or vest
identifying it as such. This DOJ definition applies only to Titles
II and III of the ADA. Key Animal Categories Relevant to Colleges
and Locations Where They are Generally Allowed Pets Service Animal:
Only Dogs! Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) Emotional Support
Animals (ESAs)
ESAs help people with mental illnesses in many ways. For example,
ESAs may alleviate psychiatric symptoms by calming the handler and
reducing physical and mental effects such as anxiety, fear,
flashbacks, hypervigilance, hallucinations, intrusive imagery,
nightmares, muscle tension, trembling, nausea and memory loss.
Consider Sarah Sarah (diagnosed with anxiety and depression) at Our
Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio petitioned
administrators in 2006 to let her bring her ferret, Lilly, to her
dorm room and her classes because Lilly helped her cope and calmed
her during her panic attacks. She claimed Lilly was an ESA but the
university refused to accommodate her disability. Sarah filed a
complaint with the DOJ but it refused to take action. Sarah left
the university. The Problem?: ESAs Students are claiming a mental
disability and as an accommodation for their disability they want
to bring their animals on no pet campuses to make college life
easier and to reduce their stress, loneliness, depression, and/or
anxiety. Is the animal a pet or an ESA? ESAs are rife for
exploitation from some individuals who may not have a legitimate
need for mental or emotional support, but rather are simply looking
for a legal loophole to keep a pet with them. Institutions are
being presented letters from mental health providers claiming that
an ESA is necessary for the mental or emotional health of the
person. The problem (is it a problem?) is that some of these
letters can be easily obtained, regardless of whether a true
disability exists. Who Identifies A Disability?
Under a new California law, the following individuals are
considered health care providers: acupuncturists, podiatrists,
dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurse midwives, PAs,
physicians, psychiatric social workers, etc. Or you can spend $164
over the Internet to obtain a letter from Chilhowee Psychological
Services. Simply answer a few questions, and out pops a letter
indicating your disability. After your payment, of course. There is
a robust industry in providing letters testifying to a persons
disability. Chilhowee Psychological Services 333 W. Lake Ave
Chilhowee Psychological Services 333 W. Lake Ave. Suite 2C Woodland
Park, CO 80863 ESA Paraphernalia Online
You dont need tags or vests or licenses or certifications but these
items can intimidate entities and therefore they may not confront
handlers having such trappings. You Could Register a Beanie Baby as
Long as You Send Money Administrator Takeaways
Dont be surprised; be prepared for this issue Recognize differences
between ESAs and service animals Have one office addressanimals on
campus Focus on accommodation and not disability Specify the
responsibilities of students with animals Context matters: housing,
campus jobs, other facilities Consider state and city laws Be
prepared to address students concernsbalance needs of all Increased
mental illness increased accommodation requests from students Dont
be overly demanding in questioning students University of Nebraska
at Kearney
Information regarding the students treatment and prescribed
medications, including a list of dosages and schedules for intake;
The date of the students last visit with the doctor and a schedule
of regular visits; A list of any other doctors providing treatment;
A clinical summary indicating the substantial life activities
impaired by the disability; The extent to which these limitations
would impact the academic or living environment in a postsecondary
setting Clear evidence that the students symptoms are present in
two or more settings; And an explanation of how the students
limitations affect the activities that are required in an academic
environment. The university asked for Maybe Not A Problem Some
institutions, on the other hand, see pet welcoming policies as a
competitiveadvantage Eckerd College sees this as a way to enhance
enrollment Eckerd CollegeSt. Petersburg, FL
AnimalsCats, dogs (under 40 pounds when fully grown), rabbits,
ducks, large birds, ferrets, and chinchillas. Cats and dogs must be
at least one year old and have lived with the student or the
students family for at least ten months prior to living on-campus.
Pit bulls, Rottweilers, wolf breeds, any aggressive breed, or any
mix containing these, are not allowed on-campus at any time. Owners
are not permitted to breed any animal or small pet for food or
other purposes. Small petsFish, small birds, rats, hedgehogs,
hamsters, sugar gliders, gerbils, guinea pigs, amphibians, and
small reptiles (snakes must be less than four feet long and
non-venomous). On-campus residents are permitted ONE Animal OR TWO
Small Pets per student. Eckerd sees their lenient policy regarding
animals on campus as a recruiting tool and a competitive advantage
with respect to other universities.