U.S. sues university for banning dog from student housing

[lickety_split]

The University of Nebraska won't allow a student suffering from anxiety and depression to keep her therapy dog in student housing.

Comments

[roseofjuly]

Hell to the fuck yeah. A lot of people with disabilities train their own service dogs.

"In essence, anyone can have their doctor say they are anxious and need to have their dog, cat, snake, or monkey, etc.," Horn wrote Cheryl Bressington, the campus affirmative action coordinator, according to the complaint.

FIRE THIS PERSON. What kind of affirmative action coordinator would say that? Do they think that people are really on a mission to get their physicians to lie for them? Snakes are not trained to become therapy animals; monkeys are often illegal for private persons to own and are also not trained to become therapy animals. A documented medical history is not 'their doctor saying that they are anxious.'

GAH.

And shit, I wish my school let me have a dog. I'm a graduate housing director at my university but we live in the halls with the students and we're not allowed pets either, other than fish. I would like a doggie :(

Bressington rejected Hamilton's request to accommodate Butch, saying the school was not required to

[archanglrobriel]

FIRE THIS PERSON. What kind of affirmative action coordinator would say that? Do they think that people are really on a mission to get their physicians to lie for them?

THIS. So much, this. This is how she gets around saying "I don't believe mental health related issues are real." Because we all know she doesn't believe it would be possible for a student to go into a doctor and claim to be vision impaired just to get a seeing eye dog....but for mental health? Oh yeah, you can....because you know, they're just made up anyway.
She really does need to be SO VERY FIRED.

[saintly_heretic]

"In essence, anyone can have their doctor say they are anxious and need to have their dog, cat, snake, or monkey, etc.," yes this one bothered me too. it's pretty flippant.

[roseofjuly]

That is awesome, so I correct my previous statement to LET THE MONKEYS IN TOO

[roseofjuly]

I'm gonna go to my doctor right now so he can make up a diagnosis for me so I can get a helper pony

[chaya]

OMG I bet the government will just give you one for free, that's totally how it works

[roseofjuly]

YESS, along with tickets to Hawaii if I can get food stamps and some welfare clothes...I'll be set!

[chaya]

#welfareclothes

[roseofjuly]

WAAAAAAAAANT

[lilenth]

This, it's amazing how many people get into these positions without knowing jack shit about affirmative action.

[mirhanda]

monkeys are often illegal for private persons to own and are also not trained to become therapy animals

I'm pretty sure I've seen a documentary on service animals that had people with mobility issues having monkeys to help them with things requiring dexterity. This would have been a few years ago, but I would imagine they are still pretty useful for that.

[sihaya09]

Me too. I remember distinctly a therapy monkey that was trained to help his owner go grocery shopping.

[mirhanda]

Yes! I definitely remember this!