Student sues Grand Valley State University over No Pet Policy

[Bateluer]

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/...-GVSU-needs-guinea-pig-for-support?hpt=us_bn6


Grew up near GVSU, almost took a few courses there. Going to side with the student, because I understand her position and condition. A guinea pig isn't a dirty animal, it doesn't take up a lot of space, and provided the student keeps it clean and cared for, there's no issue.

Allendale, Mich. (WZZM) - A student at Grand Valley State University says her guinea pig is an emotional support animal, not a pet.

With the help of the Fair Housing Center Of West Michigan, 28 year old Kendra Velzen is suing the university because it will not give her permission to keep the pet in her on-campus student housing.

"It's not a pet," maintains Elizabeth Vezino Stoddard of the Fair Housing Center. "It's a companion animal."

Velzen says she suffers from chronic depression and even has a prescription from her psychologist for her emotional support animal.

Grand Valley has a 'no pet policy' in student housing, but under these circumstances staff at the Fair Housing Center says they are required by law to accommodate a person trying to cope with a disability.

"That includes the right to a companion animal," says Stoddard. "A companion animal is considered something that's necessary for someone because of their disability."

A university spokesperson says the school won't comment on the federal lawsuit until they review it.

The student's lawyer says the fight to keep the guinea pig has aggravated her condition.

"Emotional distress, anxiety," explains Fair Housing attorney Steven Dane. "The embarrassment of having to meet with university officials and having her needs questioned or called into doubt."

The university spokeswoman says they are permitting the student to keep the guinea pig in her room.

But attorney Dane says Grand Valley has simply not taken any action to remove the animal until charges are resolved.

"This is not an isolated incident," he says. "The Fair Housing Center is determined to get some institutional reform at Grand Valley so that students like Kendra don't have to go through this again."

 

[God Mode]

The problem with this is that it sets a precedent for anarchy to take over. Its trivial to find a willing doctor for almost anything. I know a perfectly healthy loser that has prescriptions for percocets, xanax, window tint exception for his car and a handicap placard when he complained of muscle pain. No one checks the validity of these claims.

Sometimes you have to deny everyone certain rights to make it fair for everyone.

 

[CPA]

I dated a Kendra in high school. Man, she was hot.

 

[xanis]

The problem with this is that it sets a precedent for anarchy to take over. Its trivial to find a willing doctor for almost anything. I know a perfectly healthy loser that has prescriptions for percocets, xanax, window tint exception for his car and a handicap placard when he complained of muscle pain. No one checks the validity of these claims.

Sometimes you have to deny everyone certain rights to make it fair for everyone.

Kind of agree on this. I'm not saying that this woman is lying, but God Mode brings up a good point: If they make an exception for her, what's stopping everyone else from getting "emotional support" animals and bringing them to school?

 

[Wreckem]

Kind of agree on this. I'm not saying that this woman is lying, but God Mode brings up a good point: If they make an exception for her, what's stopping everyone else from getting "emotional support" animals and bringing them to school?

Drs.

 

[rudeguy]

I'm really surprised. GV is really liberal and they usually are all over stuff like this.

This will be taken care of soon,without a bunch of bs

 

[dud]

I dated a Kendra in high school. Man, she was hot.

So why did you break up?

:/

 

[destrekor]

Drs.

Yep.

It's not entirely "trivial" when one has to get diagnosed with clinical depression or any other mental health disability.

To own an animal with an actual description of "support animal", one has to have a valid statement from a doctor supporting such and a diagnosis of some disability.

It should be no question that someone with such records should be permitted to maintain possession of such an animal, even in buildings that otherwise have no animal policies.

I'm surprised it has even reached this point - the university in this case is absolutely retarded and 100% in the wrong.

 

[rudeguy]

So why did you break up?

:/

He told you....she was hot

 

[sactoking]

Yep.

It's not entirely "trivial" when one has to get diagnosed with clinical depression or any other mental health disability.

To own an animal with an actual description of "support animal", one has to have a valid statement from a doctor supporting such and a diagnosis of some disability.

It should be no question that someone with such records should be permitted to maintain possession of such an animal, even in buildings that otherwise have no animal policies.

I'm surprised it has even reached this point - the university in this case is absolutely retarded and 100% in the wrong.

Yeah, just like it's not trivial to get a med marijuana scrip in CA.

/sarcasm

 

[destrekor]

Yeah, just like it's not trivial to get a med marijuana scrip in CA.

/sarcasm

Medical marijuana can be prescribed for just about anything, and it's honestly a very good idea for a doctor to try that before any other actual medication.

A support animal, on the other hand, requires a disability.

In Michigan, it is probably easier to get medical marijuana (they have it too) compared to being prescribed a support animal.

 

[arkcom]

She's 28 years old, why not live off campus?

 

[Chrono]

Suing because she cannot have a pet? What an idiot. Emotional companion? Must not have a lot of friends then. She's 28, tell her to find a boyfriend or a guy to become her emotional tampon.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Suing because she cannot have a pet? What an idiot. Emotional companion? Must not have a lot of friends then. She's 28, tell her to find a boyfriend or a guy to become her emotional tampon.

My pigeons were more caring and supporting than any student peer I've known, and guinea pigs should be no less so.

 

[Lithium381]

We used to have people use that line to bring their dogs into the walgreens i worked at.
"oh, sir/maam, no pets allowed"
"it's not a pet, it's a companion dog"

at that point there is NOTHING i could do without getting the store sued other than walk away

 

[Lithium381]

and I think it's total BS. . . . .btw

 

[gorcorps]

WTF? Who gives somebody who's that depressed something to bond with that is going to die. You think it's tough when your own pet dies, can't imagine how she'll take it in her condition.

 

[Beev]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but "emotional companion" isn't legally in the same class as an assistance animal and thus she has NO case (unless the law is state by state).

 

[SandEagle]

P&N

 

[Wreckem]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but "emotional companion" isn't legally in the same class as an assistance animal and thus she has NO case (unless the law is state by state).

If you were using the ADA to determine this, you might be right. However there is more than just the ADA that regulates stuff like this. Companion/Emotional Support animals are protected under other acts when it comes to housing and "no pet policies".

 

[Beev]

If you were using the ADA to determine this, you might be right. However there is more than just the ADA that regulates stuff like this. Companion/Emotional Support animals are protected under other acts when it comes to housing and "no pet policies".

Ah, good to know.

 

[twinrider1]

My first thought was to wonder if depression is considered a disability. Can I get a front row parking spot because I'm depressed?

But this pdf shows that the use of an emotional support animal is well established. I'm surprised the University is putting up any fight...especially if they're getting any federal dollars.

 

[slow_mo_panda]

It is disgusting to me how all these people can post comments making it sound like having an animal you love so much because it's the only reason you get out of bed most days is some kind of joke.

I am 28 y/o female also, and am single and disabled. Not JUST depression/anxiety either, but try spending your entire teenage years not able to attend school because you're having back surgery constantly. Even my 16th birthday I spent laying in the hospital, throwing my guts up.
I got two cats when I moved into my first apartment. Not only did they help me make it through recovery from surgeries when I lived alone, but they are in fact, to this day, the only reason I make myself function enough to take care of them. I love my kiddys far more than anything else in the world.
In 2011 I had an accident involving total renal failure, and was found by family to be unresponsive and not breathing. When they got me to the hospital, I am told, I was awake the night and ate some, but I have zero memory of this. I suffered a pulmonary embolism to my heart that same night. I was given CPR for my cardiac arrest for almost an hour. Then I was put into a medical coma for a week. I am told when I woke up, I was terrified and non-cooperative, but again I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so after I woke up. All I do remember is having such long and detailed nightmares and hallucinations I felt like I was literally in hell. When I finally di 'come to', I was told I had died, as I did not know yet. I had been having 4-hour dialysis every day. I was still having auditory and visual hallucinations so real, that I got angry when nobody else believed me. I would lie awake all night, listening to the nurses torture the patients. Slowly the hallucinations went away, all except for the cats I kept hearing in the halls. From the moment I was aware, I asked about my cats constantly, cried every day, worried about them being alone all day for the 2 months I was gone.
I can guarantee to you all, I would not be here today if I had not had these amazingly loyal animals to comfort me when I have had nothing but turmoil and pain and agony and loneliness for 16 years now.
I am currently fighting my manager/landlord because she is trying to force me to 'get rid of' one of my cats. I had them both before I moved here, there was NO restriction on having 2 cats when I moved here, and the new 'Pet Policy' did not start until a year and a half later, restricting it to one. I have given her letters from my doctor stating that, not only can I not give up either of my cats without severe emotional distress, but I am in no way physically able to pack and move, let alone financially.
I am set to be evicted by the 12th of Nov., but I got a lawyer this past morning, and I am hoping that he will help by relieving some of my stress of this. I have already had multiple severe medical problems related to the stress and anxiety from this fight. But nobody is going to take away pretty much the only reason for living these days.
I hope those of you who call us 'fakes' or make this sound like a joke, that you will lose someone very close to you, then see how funny it is.

 

[Newbian]

If you were using the ADA to determine this, you might be right. However there is more than just the ADA that regulates stuff like this. Companion/Emotional Support animals are protected under other acts when it comes to housing and "no pet policies".

School needs to kick her out.

Companion animal like this and in rentals always makes me laugh.

Other then say a seeing eye dog it's just bs people do to get around rental agreements or to prevent paying extra.

Also get lost bumper spammer.

 

[DrPizza]

It is disgusting to me how all these people can post comments making it sound like having an animal you love so much because it's the only reason you get out of bed most days is some kind of joke.

I am 28 y/o female also, and am single and disabled. Not JUST depression/anxiety either, but try spending your entire teenage years not able to attend school because you're having back surgery constantly. Even my 16th birthday I spent laying in the hospital, throwing my guts up.
I got two cats when I moved into my first apartment. Not only did they help me make it through recovery from surgeries when I lived alone, but they are in fact, to this day, the only reason I make myself function enough to take care of them. I love my kiddys far more than anything else in the world.
In 2011 I had an accident involving total renal failure, and was found by family to be unresponsive and not breathing. When they got me to the hospital, I am told, I was awake the night and ate some, but I have zero memory of this. I suffered a pulmonary embolism to my heart that same night. I was given CPR for my cardiac arrest for almost an hour. Then I was put into a medical coma for a week. I am told when I woke up, I was terrified and non-cooperative, but again I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so after I woke up. All I do remember is having such long and detailed nightmares and hallucinations I felt like I was literally in hell. When I finally di 'come to', I was told I had died, as I did not know yet. I had been having 4-hour dialysis every day. I was still having auditory and visual hallucinations so real, that I got angry when nobody else believed me. I would lie awake all night, listening to the nurses torture the patients. Slowly the hallucinations went away, all except for the cats I kept hearing in the halls. From the moment I was aware, I asked about my cats constantly, cried every day, worried about them being alone all day for the 2 months I was gone.
I can guarantee to you all, I would not be here today if I had not had these amazingly loyal animals to comfort me when I have had nothing but turmoil and pain and agony and loneliness for 16 years now.
I am currently fighting my manager/landlord because she is trying to force me to 'get rid of' one of my cats. I had them both before I moved here, there was NO restriction on having 2 cats when I moved here, and the new 'Pet Policy' did not start until a year and a half later, restricting it to one. I have given her letters from my doctor stating that, not only can I not give up either of my cats without severe emotional distress, but I am in no way physically able to pack and move, let alone financially.
I am set to be evicted by the 12th of Nov., but I got a lawyer this past morning, and I am hoping that he will help by relieving some of my stress of this. I have already had multiple severe medical problems related to the stress and anxiety from this fight. But nobody is going to take away pretty much the only reason for living these days.
I hope those of you who call us 'fakes' or make this sound like a joke, that you will lose someone very close to you, then see how funny it is.

The last line of that block of text - you wish for people to lose someone close to them?? Wow, what an uncaring, self-centered individual you are.