Enrolled Trinity students can apply for an emotional support animal (ESA). These animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness and help with depression, anxiety and certain phobias, according to the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) website*.

The website states that SAS is dedicated to guaranteeing that students with disabilities have equitable access to all aspects of Trinity’s campus by providing them reasonable accommodations. However, some students said they had issues with ESA approving their support animal on campus.

​Once a student has contacted SAS, the office determines whether an ESA qualifies as a reasonable accommodation for the student’s needs. According to Trinity’s ESA policy, SAS considers whether the individual has a qualifying disability and if the animal is necessary for the student to use and enjoy a dwelling. Students must submit documentation from a licensed medical or mental health professional and provide proof of their ESA’s vaccinations. Once a student applies online through Residential Life, a SAS representative will meet them on Zoom assessing their need for an ESA, followed by a SAS committee review.

​According to Maddy Early, senior accounting major, the process is easy. After submitting her information through the online SAS portal and meeting with SAS workers, she learned within a week that the SAS committee approved her.

“The woman I worked with was super supportive,” Early said. “They asked what kind of animal I needed and why, and then passed it on to a committee.”

Faith Choate, senior political science major, described a similar process when applying for an ESA.​

“Once [the application] is looked over, you have a Zoom meeting with one of the SAS reps, and they access your need for an ESA and they confirm your application and the letter of recommendation your psychiatrist sent and they discuss the next steps of getting an ESA,” Choate said.

​According to the ESA policy, Trinity recommended that students begin the process of applying for an ESA at least 60 days before they want the ESA on campus, so that both SAS and Residential Life can coordinate approval and be aware of a student’s ESA status. While the application process was smooth, Early said that there was a communication gap between SAS and Residential Life. She explained that SAS had told her Residential Life would provide a contract to sign, but she later found out that she had to fill it out herself online.

​Once approved, ESA owners must follow strict housing guidelines, including keeping the animal in a crate when the student is not in the room, cleaning up after their animal and paying for any property damage.

“We get emails about monthly ESA checks where the RLCs will check the room for good living conditions for the animals and property damage,” Choate said. According to Trinity policy, multiple violations can result in a student being forced to remove their ESA within a 10 day grace period.

Choate and Early both said they had positive experiences with their ESAs. According to Choate, she lets her friends come and pet her cat when they’re feeling down, and having the animal around really helps. Early said that ESAs actually contribute to a more welcoming atmosphere, and people see them as community pets.

​While both Choate and Early have said the ESA application process is accessible, they suggested certain improvements with Early commenting on improving coordination between SAS and Residential Life and Choate saying that there should be better advertisement about ESAs.

“ESAs aren’t talked about as much compared to extended time on tests,” Early said. “I think ESAs are something we fly over when we think about resources.”

​According to Trinity policy, only the ESA owner is allowed to walk the animal on campus.

“The way it was explained to me was that since she was my ‘medicine,’ I’m not supposed to share my medicine,” Early said.

Early said she disagrees with this. Choate said that if a student was adopting an ESA, they needed to find a third party to take care of them off-campus while the paperwork was going through, which she said is an inconvenience to many students without family in San Antonio. Choate also expressed concern about kenneling, explaining that it was painful and cruel to an animal that already has to live in a small space.

​Regardless, Choate and Early still said the overall application process is smooth. While SAS may reject applications for ESA, Choate said that all applicants should ensure their medical recommendation letters are robust, clearly highlighting the issues, laying out the problem and explaining why an ESA could address these problems. She also encouraged completing all ESA vaccination and health checkup forms, as well as not being scared when applying for an ESA. She mentioned that students don’t need a crazy reason to apply for an ESA.

“If you think an ESA would help you, that’s enough,” Early said.

​Trinity’s policy classifies ESAs as reasonable accommodation, but to students like Choate and Early, they provide them with mental and emotional support and are well-loved by the community.

*SAS did not respond to the Trinitonian’s request for comment in time for publication.