Emotional Support Animals on Campus: A Narrative Inquiry

Requests for emotional support animals (ESAs) on college and university campuses have been increasing over the years, as more and more students are presenting documentation to allow them to live with their ESA in a higher education setting that does not otherwise allow pets. Research to date has focused primarily on higher education narratives about ESAs (e.g., issues like avoiding risk), but little is known about the individuals who have ESAs. Using a qualitative three-dimensional narrative approach, this study sought to explore the meaning that ESAs have for these students and the impacts of the unique campus housing setting on ESA partnerships. We collected information from three participant narratives. Four themes related to ESAs in campus housing arose from the data: the desirability of on-campus housing, the importance of a sense of community on campus, requirements needed to prove legitimacy, and policy restrictions on ESAs. The narratives inform suggestions for higher education institution administrators to better support ESA partnerships individually, systemically, and within the on-campus community.