Ashley Trovato

An Emotional Support Animal is, according to the writers at anxiety.org, and The National Animal Registry, “an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that, by its very presence, mitigates the emotional or psychological symptoms associated with a handler’s condition or disorder.”
In a college environment, students are always trying to find a way to relieve stress, anxiety, and frustration. Some find it in drinking or other recreational activities, but one way that seems to help is animal interaction.
At Hood College, students are allowed to have Hermit Crab or Goldfish. They are also permitted other animals, but have to go through the CAAR Center first.
Megan Poole, a senior at Hood College, recounts her experience in obtaining permission to bring a service animal on campus. “It was awful.” Megan said, “The process should not have been as hard as it was.”
Poole is diagnosed with; PTSD, severe clinical depression/anxiety, and ADHD. She was permitted to have an animal last year, which was a guinea pig named angel, and it took over a month to obtain permission. Since she stopped seeing a psychiatrist, they took that privilege away.
“Psychiatrists are expensive and hard to keep seeing,” Poole said, “I had to stop seeing mine which resulted in me loosing permission for my piggy.”
“Not having Angel around after I come home from work or class makes me feel worried because I am alone and have nothing to help me with my stress,” Poole said. “Having her last year made stress easier to handle because when I was upset, I would want to cry so I would cuddle her for hours and feel better.”
“I still have Angel at home and she has literally been the difference between life and death for me,” Poole said. “Without her at school with me, I feel lost.”
A student who graduated Hood College, Chelsea Laurens, agrees with Poole. “I have three yorkies, and they 100 percent help me,” Laurens said, “When I was at school and couldn’t have a dog for a couple years I felt like ‘I was missing something’,” she continued by describing how having “something love you unconditionally, no matter what, is a feeling that is indescribable.”
A therapist not affiliated to the school, but helps with college aged students, has provided approval for some of her clients to have an ESA. “I am always looking to find new ways to help my patients with mental health diagnosis,” Whitney Thompson, LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor), of The Counseling Renaissance, said. “Medication can be helpful, but a pet who shows unconditional love can help to decrease symptoms. Sometimes, clients need something more than just learning coping skills.” Thompson brings her dog, Bodhi, to work. He is a certified therapy pet.
Anthony Belnomi, a Hood Alum, said that animals are there to listen. He believes animals act on a level farther than cuddling, “As humans we crave company and companionship. Sometimes connections are stronger without words. With animals, there are no words, just sounds,” Belnomi continues, “Animals calm my mind and restores my faith in the world because animals are genuine in both intent and action.”
A junior, Bj Daise said, “If I had a dog jump into my arms, especially after a long day, I would embrace it and say ‘of course we can cuddle!’” Daise said having a dog around would be like having his “own personal study buddy who can listen to me.”
A freshman this year, Alec Van said, “I miss my dog more than I miss my parents.” He did say that having a pet here to take care of would add unnecessary stress because it is just one more thing to take care of. Bronkhorst added, though, that when he is playing with the Meyran hall pet, Franklin the dog, his stress levels do lower and he becomes happier.
Poole and Daise believe that having the privilege, within reason, to have an animal other than a Hermit Crab or Goldfish would be beneficial. “They should have allergy free dorms for students who have certain pet allergies so that students who would benefit from pets could bring theirs to school with them,’ Poole said.
Every year at finals in the second semester, the campus activities board and counseling center creates an event called “Stress Busters” and brings in a group called Wags for Hope to utilize the power of spending time with animals for mental health. This group brings dogs and cats for a few hours so the students can spend time with them and hopefully feel a bit better.