Last year while applying for a single room at Pacific Lutheran University I made the decision to later apply to have a companion animal on campus. At PLU the process to be allowed to have a companion animal appears very simple and not widely known. In order to have a companion animal one would need to apply through needs based housing. The exact process is similar to applying for a single room (you can even apply for both through the same form, at the same time). Within the application it states:

"Pacific Lutheran University encourages students to plan for housing that will help them achieve their academic goals and learn the responsibilities of living in a community."

Those who decide to apply for need-based housing accommodations are required to submit:

1. "Appropriate documentation of the need as outlined in the PLU Policy Regarding Documentation of Need for Special Housing."

2. "Need for Special Housing Process Consent Form," which should include a report by a licensed professional within the last3 to 6 months that provide "clear and specific evidence which identifies the individuals needs, present level of functioning, and how the student's health, academic performance, and/or activities of daily living may be impacted if the request is not met."

3. "A Personal statement from the student indicating preferred housing options."

Once submitted "a board compromised of representatives from the Health Center, Counseling Center, Disabilities Support Services, and Residential Life will review the submitted application. This can take time, as applications can get mixed up and misplaced. An email notification will go out to inform the student of the board's decision. If accepted there is another application to be filled out and accepted before the companion animal can be on campus.

The PLU policy for a companion animals is:

"The Office of Residential Life maintains the following guidelines and requirements for students who are approved through the Need for Special Housing Process to have an authorized Companion Animal in a university residence. Companion Animals are neither Service Animals nor pets, but meet an ongoing therapeutic need as established by a licensed health professional who has an ongoing therapeutic relationship with the requestor."

From there I have specific guidelines and requirements.

Companion Animal:

1. "Companion Animals must be in good health, properly vaccinated, and registered with the Office of Residential Life. Documentation of current vaccinations must be on file with the Office of Residential Life prior to occupancy."

2. "Companion Animals must be maintained in a manner that takes into consideration the health and hygiene of the animal and those who come in contact with the animal."

3. "It is the student owner's responsibility to ensure the safety of a Companion Animal, that the animal behaves and responds appropriately at all times in public, and that the animal and the student owner adhere to the same socially accepted standards as any individual in the PLU community."

4. "The care, feeding, and supervision of a Companion Animal is the side responsibility of the student owner."

5. "The Companion Animal must be contained within the private residential area (room or apartment) at all times, except when transported outside the private residential area in an animal carrier or controlled by leash or harness. The student owner must be in full control of the animal."

6. "When present within the private residential area without the student owner present, the companion animal must be confined within an appropriate crate, cage, or container."

Student Owner:

1. "The student owner is financially responsible for the actions of the Companion Animal including bodily injury or property damage including but not limited to any replacements of furniture, carpet, wall covering, etc. The student owner is responsible for any expenses that are required due to the cost incurred for cleaning which is above and beyond a normal cleaning of for repairs to University premises that are assessed after vacating the residence."

2. "The student owner is responsible for the appropriate disposal of their Companion Animal's waste. Solid waste shall be disposed of in appropriate receptacles external to PLU buildings."

3."All liability for the actions of the animal (bites, scratches, damages, etc.) is the sole responsibility of the student owner and not the University."

4. "The student owner is expected to take all necessary steps to keep their room or apartment clean and free of Companion Animal related types of pests. Cages, kennels, and litter boxes must be kept clean and pet food must be stored in appropriate containers. All costs associated with an university action required as a result of a failure to do this will be assumed by the student owner."

5. " The student owner must provide the contact information of a third party who is willing to immediately take care of and assume responsibility for the Companion Animal, should the student owner become incapacitated and/or is not able or eligible to continue proper care for the Companion Animal."

6. "Should the Companion Animal be removed from the premises for any reason, the student owner is expected to fulfill his/her housing obligations for the remainder of the housing contract. The student owner must notify the Office of Residential Life in writing if the Companion Animal is no longer needed or is no longer in residence. To replace an approved Companion Animal the owner must file a new Request."

Community:

1. "Roommate(s)/Apartment-mates) of the student owner must agree to the presence of Companion Animal in the room or the apartment, and confirm this in writing to the Office of Residential Life."

2. "The student owner will remove - immediately upon notification - Companion Animal that constitute a nuisance, health hazard, or threat to the other residents or the community based on the opinion of the Associate Vice-President for Campus Life, or designee."

University:

1. "The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to require pest treatments and apartment repairs be facilitated at any reasonable time after or during the contract period. All costs for these treatments and repairs are the responsibility of the student owner."

2. "The University will not take responsibility for the Companion Animal in any way. In all cases, precedence will be given to the health. safety, and well-being of residents over the needs of the companion animal."

3. "Any violation of the above rules may result in immediate removal of the animal from the university and may be referred to the Student Rights &Responsibilities Office for further action."

4. "Limited information about the precedence of the Companion Animal will be shared with key operational members of the PLU community. This is to ensure their awareness should they need to enter the room for maintenance purposes. Student owners should note the presence of the Companion Animal when making work order requestsand ensure the animal is kenneled or other wised contained."

These are the process, the guidelines, and regulations to have a companion animal. This is what I went through to have my cat, Ambrosia, on campus. I had to make the decision to adopt another cat to be my companion animal because my home cat, Diamond, is about 16 years old and is not in the condition to travel to and from PLU and be moved into a new environment. Because I cared so much about his health and well-being, I made the decision to adopt a new cat. I made the decision to apply separately for a single room which almost cost me my application because I wanted to be sure that I did not have to live with another person because sharing a room with another person caused me so much anxiety. Because I have anxiety I need a companion animal to be able to maintain my health, academic performance, and activities of daily living. Because the reason I was able to function after my mom's death almost 6 years ago was that I had the unconditional love and support of my cat.

Yes, I have a companion animal. I have had to go through an entire process in order to have a companion animal on campus. I have to maintain specific guidelines and regulations in order to have a companion animal on campus to whom I have full responsibility to take care of.

Yes, I have a companion animal. She is a seven year old tortoiseshell cat with an attitude that I love beyond words can explain whose name is Ambrosia who I adopted in June, 2016. Yes, I have a companion animal and I do not have to explain why I do and I have the right to keep that I have a companion animal private.

So yes, I have a companion animal but she is not my pet. I have a companion animal and who is here with me so that I am able to maintain my health, academic performance, and activities of daily living.