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Pepperdine University

Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals, and Pets on Campus

Pepperdine University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. This policy provides the circumstances where students will be allowed to have service or support animals while ensuring safety for all members of the Pepperdine community. Except as provided herein, animals at Pepperdine are subject to the requirements of the Animals on Campus policy found in Section 37 of the University Policy Manual.

Terminology

A pet is an animal sufficiently tame to live with a family which is kept and cared for as a companion. Pets are not allowed in residence halls or buildings on any Pepperdine campus. A service animal is trained for a specific task related to a disability. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, and alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, among others.  Service animals are working animals, not pets.  An emotional support animal (ESA) provides general support for diagnosed mental illness.  These animals provide emotional or other support to ameliorate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability.  Like service animals, ESAs are not pets.  Unlike service animals, ESAs are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks that are important to the independence or safety of their disabled handler. Their therapeutic support is a function of their presence and interaction with the person with a disability.

What animal can be an ESA?
While ESAs are not pets, they typically are animals commonly kept in households as pets.  An ESA may be a dog (most common), cat, small bird, rabbit, hamster, gerbil, fish, turtle, or other small, domesticated animal that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure.  Under guidelines from HUD, reptiles (other than turtles), barnyard animals, monkeys, and other non-domesticated animals are not considered common household animals.  Exceptions to these guidelines regarding animals serving as ESAs will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Pepperdine will consider a request by an individual with a disability for reasonable accommodation from this prohibition to allow an ESA that is reasonable and necessary because of a mental health disability. However, no ESA may be kept in University housing at any time prior to the individual receiving approval as a reasonable accommodation pursuant to this Policy.  Any requests for animals in residence for individuals with disabilities that are neither service animals nor ESAs should be directed to the Office of Student Accessibility (OSA).

The question in determining if an ESA will be allowed in University housing is whether or not the ESA is necessary because of the individual’s disability to afford the individual an equal opportunity to use and enjoy University housing and its presence in University housing is reasonable. However, even if the individual with a disability establishes necessity for an ESA and it is allowed in University housing, an ESA is not permitted in other areas of the University (e.g. dining facilities, libraries, academic buildings, athletic buildings and facilities, classrooms, labs, individual centers, etc.).

Registering a service animal

Service Animal Checklist

While registration of a service animal is optional, the University asks that you register with OSA if you will frequent campus or will reside in the residence halls.   This allows the office to notify professors and the Department of Public Safety if needed.  The service animal is able to be with you anywhere on campus.   

Registration with OSA is below.  There are additional steps to complete for students residing on campus.  Please note: These steps should be completed prior to the animal moving into the residence halls.

  • Complete an Online Inquiry with the Office of Student Accessibility (OSA)
  • Provide documentation for any additional accommodation needs outside of Service Animal
  • Once you have submitted the documentation, OSA will be notified through the Accommodate System.  OSA will send you a scheduling link to your Pepperdine email to arrange a conversation with an Accessibility Specialist.  Please be on the lookout for the scheduling link.

If you are residing on campus:

After these steps are completed you will work with Housing and Residence LIfe:

  • Meet with Resident Director and students who share living space to complete the HRL Service Animal Roommate Understanding

Steps taken by OSA and HRL that should be completed prior to the animal moving into the residence halls:

  • OSA will notify Housing and Residence Life (HRL) of your registration and animal.
  • HRL will contact each person in your assigned building with notification of the potential presence of an animal. Student identity will not be disclosed.
  • HRL will communicate with each person in your specific suite/apartment to obtain written, voluntary agreement to live in a suite/apartment with an animal. Student identity will be disclosed.
  • If a suite/apartment-mate is allergic to, fearful of animals, or has other concerns, that rise to the level of disability they are invited to register with OSA.   The animal will be welcomed on campus but may impact the housing placements.  

Los Angeles County Licensing information:

Applying for the accommodations of an emotional support animal

ESA Checklist

To register with OSA to apply for the accommodation of an ESA in a residence hall:

After these steps are completed you will work with Housing and Residence LIfe:

  • Meet with Resident Director and students who share living space to complete the HRL Emotional Support Animal Roommate Understanding

Steps taken by OSA and HRL that should be completed prior to the animal moving into the residence halls if a student is approved for the accommodation of an ESA:

  • OSA will notify Housing and Residence Life (HRL) of the accommodation.
  • HRL will contact each person in your assigned building with notification of the potential presence of an animal. Student identity will not be disclosed.
  • HRL will communicate with each person in a specific suite/apartment to obtain written, voluntary agreement to live in a suite/apartment with an animal. Student identity will be disclosed at this level.
  • If a suite/apartment-mate is allergic to, fearful of animals, or has other concerns, that rise to the level of disability they are invited to register with OSA.  The animal will be welcomed on campus but may impact the housing placements.

Los Angeles County Licensing information:

Please Note:

We encourage you to consider that it can be challenging to train a young animal while maintaining classes and other responsibilities. 

  • Dogs: Generally, dogs must be twelve (12) months of age, must be spayed or neutered, and must have a current rabies immunization before they can live in University Housing.
  • Cats: Generally, cats must be at least 6 months of age, must be spayed or neutered, and must have a current rabies immunization before they can live in University Housing.
  • Definition of fully immunized (Rabies):  An animal can be considered immunized 28 days after initial (first) vaccination.  With any subsequent vaccination the animal is considered current immediately. (from the CDC)
  • Generally, only one animal is allowed per residence unit. 
  • If roommates/suitemates have objections to sharing their living quarters with the ESA, someone may be asked to shift to an alternative setting.  Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
  • ESA should not move into campus housing until the animal is housebroken, crate-trained as necessary, and able to be alone without vocalizing.
  • ESAs are the responsibility of the student with the accommodation. They are not to be left alone at night or overnight in someone else's care. All clean-up and damages are the responsibility of the student, as well as any costs incurred during an emergency for care and control of the animal.

Exceptions to the above rules are rare, but considered based on extenuating circumstances.

Failure to comply with these terms and the requirements of the University Policy for Animals on Campus may result in disciplinary action as stated in the Code of Conduct sections of the Student Handbook and Graduate Residential Handbook.

If you have additional questions, email or call the office at 310.506.6500. 

Last updated: November 2023