Emotional Support Animal ("ESA") Policy [Effective 2/5/2026]

The purpose of this policy is to outline the specific requirements relevant to emotional support animals at RISD.

This policy applies to all students and individuals enrolled in Rhode Island School of Design (“RISD”) programs and residing in RISD residential spaces.

• Emotional Support Animal (“ESA”): an animal (approved by RISD through the housing accommodation process) specifically designated by a qualified medical provider that alleviates one or more identified symptoms of an individual’s disability. An ESA may afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their residence hall, provided there is a connection between the individual’s disability and the therapeutic benefit the animal provides. An ESA is NOT a service animal and is not typically trained to provide specific services for an individual with a disability.
• Service Animal: any dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. Service animals are classified as working animals, not pets. A service animal provides essential support to an individual with a disability by performing specific tasks or mitigating symptoms that enable the individual to function safely, independently, and effectively within the college environment, such as alerting the individual to an oncoming medical episode or interrupting anxiety-related behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
• Handler/Owner: an individual who has physical possession and control of any animal brought to campus, including Service Animals (or service animal in training) or an Emotional Support Animal.

RISD permits approved ESAs in the owner’s designated residence. ESAs are not permitted anywhere else on RISD property, including but not limited to common areas, classrooms, shops, administrative buildings, and dining locations. In accordance with the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”), the RISD engages in a deliberative, interactive process with students in order to determine eligibility for reasonable accommodations, including the use of an Emotional Support Animal.

How RISD Assesses Eligibility Criteria

RISD will consider ESA requests through an interactive process and will be guided by the following:

• The student must demonstrate through documented expert opinion or other evidence that the ESA is both necessary and reasonable for equal enjoyment and use of RISD Housing.
• The student must also demonstrate that NO other means and methods (e.g., medication, counseling, other housing accommodations, other available interventions, crisis response mechanisms or treatments), or a combination of means and methods, are available to adequately manage or ameliorate the symptoms of their disability in the housing context.
• The medical or psychological documentation presented must be from licensed providers who are NOT employed by the Rhode Island School of Design in any of their counseling or health facilities, and additionally, who are not relatives of the student.

Owner Responsibilities for ESAs in College-Owned Residences

• The owner must notify Disability Support Services ("DSS") if the ESA is no longer needed or is no longer residing on RISD property. If the approved ESA needs to be replaced or changed, the owner must submit a new request.
• The owner is responsible for ensuring their ESA remains only in the owner’s residential space, with the exception of residential corridors in which the sole purpose is to transport the animal outside or back to the residence; ESAs may not be in common areas, classrooms, shops, etc. and ESAs are not permitted to move freely in on-campus residential common areas such as hallways, elevators, stairwells, bathrooms, etc.
• The owner is responsible for attending and being in full control of the ESA at all times. The ESA shall have a harness, leash, tether or be transported in an appropriate enclosure whenever it is outside of the residence hall room where it will be housed.
• In shared living spaces, the ESA should be in an appropriate container whenever the owner is not in the room with the ESA.
• The owner is responsible for not leaving the ESA overnight or leaving the ESA unattended for an unreasonable length of time.
• ESAs must leave campus with their owner if the owner leaves overnight/during all College breaks.
• If an ESA is found loose or unattended as outlined in this policy within the residence halls and contact cannot be made with the owner, the ESA may be turned over to Providence Animal Control or another animal welfare agency. The owner of the ESA will be responsible for all costs incurred for the release of the animal and will be responsible for retrieving the animal. RISD will not take responsibility or care for loose or unattended animals.
• The owner is responsible for the costs of care necessary for the ESA’s well-being. The arrangements and responsibilities for the care of an ESA are the sole responsibility of the owner at all times, including regular bathing and grooming, as needed.
• The owner is responsible for independently ensuring the timely and appropriate removal of the ESA’s waste and for disposing of it in the designated outdoor trash receptacle for their residential assignment.
• If the ESA voids on the floor or carpet anywhere inside a residence hall, the owner is responsible for cleaning up promptly to the best of their own ability in a timely manner. They also must submit a work order request with Facilities Management for the area affected to be disinfected. The owner is responsible for all costs associated with such cleanup or damage.
• The owner is responsible for paying for any damage caused to RISD property and is responsible for pest treatment necessitated by the ESA.
• The owner must abide by all applicable residential policies, including room inspections.
• Expenses related to the care, maintenance, or upkeep of an emotional support animal (ESA) are not eligible for reimbursement through RISD financial aid or emergency funds.The owner is responsible for complying with local and state laws concerning licensing, ESA rights, and owner responsibilities. ESAs must be current with immunizations and wear a rabies vaccination tag if appropriate. Annual documentation is required. Please visit this link for more information regarding the licensing of dogs: Providence Pet Licensing and Requirements
• The owner must complete and submit Residence Life Animal Policy forms with immunization and licensing documentation to the Residence Life office prior to bringing the animal to campus.

Removal of an ESA

An ESA can be removed from campus, at the cost of the owner, if the ESA:

• is found by the College to be out of control or disruptive, and the ESA’s owner does not take immediate and effective action to control it.
• is not housebroken or kept in a cage where waste can be managed effectively.
• is found to be neglected or mistreated and prompt corrective action is not taken.
• is physically ill.
• is unreasonably dirty.
• poses a substantial or direct threat to personal or public safety, causes significant physical damage to the property of others, or poses an undue financial or administrative burden on RISD.
• and/or if the owner violates this ESA policy and does not take adequate steps to rectify the concerns or behavior.

Reminder: ESAs are restricted to the owner’s designated residence and are prohibited in all other areas of campus.

Dangerous, poisonous, exotic, illegal, or otherwise unsafe animals are not permitted on campus. Animals known to carry or transmit zoonotic diseases (diseases that can spread from animals to humans) or that require a heat lamp (such as reptiles, amphibians, fish, and arachnids) are also prohibited.

Any ESA that misbehaves or any owners (or others) who mistreat their ESA should be reported to Public Safety (pubsafe@risd.edu) and DSS (disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu).

RISD Community Responsibilities

• The RISD community must allow the ESA to reside with its owner in their designated on-campus residence once the ESA is approved as a disability-related accommodation.
• Community members should contact DSS if any questions or concerns arise relating to ESAs.
• Community members will not charge a fee for the ESA to reside in the residence hall, but may assess usual fees for any damages incurred. RISD has permission to share animal locations provided on the Animal Registration Form with Public Safety.
• For additional information on how to distinguish between an ESA and a Service Animal, please refer to the “Addressing Service Animals” section of the Service Animals on Campus Policy under the Related Policies section below.
• If it is determined that an ESA is present in any location outside of the student’s designated residence hall or approved living area, community members may request that the animal be removed from the premises, as ESAs are not permitted in other campus buildings or public spaces.

Disability Support Services (“DSS”) Responsibilities

• DSS is responsible for developing the necessary procedures for the College and facilitating the use of ESAs by students on campus.
• DSS assists owners and the RISD community when questions or concerns arise relating to ESAs on campus and seeks legal advice when necessary.

Students requesting an ESA must follow the Housing Accommodation Request Process outlined below:

Submitting your Housing Accommodation Request

All students seeking housing accommodations must complete the application using the Accommodate System linked below and upload supporting documentation. Your Accommodate portal will house important information about your accommodations.

Follow the step-by-step instructions below to access and navigate to the Accommodation portal. Following submission, the student will be contacted with the decision and/or to schedule a meeting with a DSS staff member.

1. To submit an initial request for accommodations, complete the RISD DSS Intake Form
2. Along with this form, upload documentation that supports the need for your request from a licensed off-campus provider. Please find more information about specific documentation requirements on this website, RISD DSS Documentation. If the student does not have access to current documentation, DSS staff members can discuss options during an intake meeting.
3. After submitting the Intake Form and documentation, students will then participate in an initial appointment to determine reasonable accommodations. Students can schedule an Intake Meeting using this link: Meet with DSS

Policy Sanctions

RISD reserves the right to review alleged violations of this policy in conjunction with other appropriate offices and under other applicable College policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements, including but not limited to those listed under Related Policies. Failure to comply with this policy and other Related Policies is subject to disciplinary action and sanctions per applicable disciplinary procedures.

Any animal found in RISD property that has not been approved as an ESA or Service Animal is considered unauthorized and must be removed from campus within the specified timeframe (generally, 24-48 hours), or the College will arrange for the safe removal of the animal. (The owner/handler assumes all responsibility for costs and procedures to regain the removed animal.) Repeated violations may also result in a formal student conduct process and review of the ESA accommodation with DSS.

• Service Animals on Campus Policy
• Animals on Campus Policy
• Code of Student Conduct
• Nondiscrimination Policy & Procedures

This policy was created on: 1/29/2021

This policy was last reviewed/modified on: 1/21/2026

Next scheduled review: 1/28/2028

Issuing Office

Disability Support Services

Responsible Officer

Vice Presidnet, Student Life

Individuals/offices required for review and changes

Residence Life

Office of the General Counsel