<p>If the student does need a comfort animal, they school may need to help finding housing that permits it. By no mean the student should “sneak in” a bunny. If the school does allow a pet animal inside a dorm that explicitly said it is not allowed and sometime contracted severe allergy response, the school would be hold accountable.</p>
<p>On the question of bringing the animsl to work, the DOJ’s more restrictive definition of “service animal” apparently applies, so, under federal law, no, employers don’t have to accept comfort animals. State and local laws may require employers to do so, however. </p>
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<p>No because cigarettes have been found to not only have no medical benefits, but also quite harmful. </p>
<p>And the harm is not only limited to the user him/herself, but also others in close proximity due to second-hand smoke. Incidentally, this is the reason why increasing numbers of restaurants/bars have banned them…to safeguard the health of those working there along with non-smoking patrons. </p>
<p>Moreover, smoking is something people “need” because they voluntarily tried it at one time and became addicted. Last I checked, there’s no ADA accommodation for drug addicts…including nicotine, much less provision for enabling them by providing them spaces to smoke. </p>
<p>Were colleges ever required to provide smoking-allowed housing? I know most of them did in the past but I was not aware that it was required. </p>
<p>My son’s campus is recently smoke fee. They do allow service animals, I assume, because the housing form asked if you would be unable to live with one due to allergies or whatever. The form specifically said service dog, so I thinking a comfort bunny wouldn’t fly. :)</p>
<p>Let me point out a sensible, and more general, question that OP’s question brings up: are there some rules related to housing that pretty much everybody violates and the university turns a blind eye to? Without going into the ethics too much, this is a valid question. Indeed, if there are lots of students with pets, and nothing is ever done about it, this might be a useful data point for somebody who needs to avoid them as well. I know that some colleges prohibit microwaves in dorms, but almost every suite has one, and as long as it isn’t sitting out in the open during an inspection, there is benign neglect. Another example might be what is the policy vs. the actual practice with respect to overnight guests in the dorm.</p>
<p>To get specific, though, it sounds like the no pets policy is generally enforced, at least if somebody complains.</p>
<p>“And the harm is not only limited to the user him/herself, but also others in close proximity due to second-hand smoke.” Exactly my point. Kids with allergies and asthma don’t need second-hand dander.</p>
<p>“No because cigarettes have been found to not only have no medical benefits, but also quite harmful.”</p>
<p>But it’s ok to say an allergic kid should just take steroids, which are also quite harmful, because someone else needs a bunny?</p>
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<p>Loved how my LAC and H summer used the “fire hazard” line, especially after it caused my electrician friends to ROTFLOL before saying if they do pose a fire hazard, student would have more serious worries as that likely signifies the building’s electrical wiring wasn’t done to code and thus, shouldn’t be considered inhabitable. </p>
<p>In reality, everyone including the RAs ignored the policy in practice. Some at my college even gave tips on keeping such “contraband” out of site during dorm inspections. </p>
<p>On the flipside, the dorm authorities were pretty strict about their no-pets policy in the regular dorms. Students needing service animals were either put into dorm apartments usually reserved for visiting scholars and their families if there were spaces available or given exemption from campus residency requirements so they live off-campus. </p>
<p>Good question, Hunt. Rules against underaged drinking come to mind. Universities essentially acknowledge that those rules will not be strictly enforced by offering substance free housing. My sense is, though, based on no data whatsoever, that the rules against pets are more strictly enforced. But you are right to pose the question. </p>
<p>I would also point out that even if “nobody cares” about a particular rule appears to be the case, it can change quickly if there is an incident, or just if there are some changes in administration. If somebody’s illegal dog bites somebody, then all the illegal pets may get purged even if nobody cared before.</p>
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Good heavens, Cobrat. You don’t recognize sarcasm/tongue-in-cheek humor when it hits you in the head. Ask that poster if they were dead serious, or not (pun intended, in case it isnt clear)</p>
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<p>Some smoker groups have actually attempted to launch lawsuits against smoking bans on the basis of discrimination against them for their vice. </p>
<p>Thankfully, the presiding judges had enough sense to see what crackpots these groups were and to toss those suits out. </p>
<p>Indoor smoking has been banned in my State, however, there are still dorms labelled smoke-free. I guess those were never allowed for smoking even before it was banned for students with allergy to that.</p>
<p>Any fool can file a lawsuit… Thats not the issue here.</p>
<p>Some schools still have designated smoking areas. Blech.</p>
<p>Friend of my D’s (graduated June 2014) had a kitten in her single dorm room last term - they all congregated in her room for socializing on weekend nights and many pics of the cute kitty made FB. Not sure how that seemed to not get noticed on campus - maybe they really didn’t mind that much?</p>
<p>“At some point, if you have an allergy or phobia of certain common things, you have to appreciate that you may be exposed to them. You can’t forbid a whole dorm to not use peanut butter if one person is allergic to peanuts.”</p>
<p>But that is exactly what I am saying. You can’t expect an entire building full of people to change a well-thought out school rule for your convenience, especially when it will adversely affect other people. </p>
<p>Peanuts are not volatile. I feel it would be reasonable for someone with a severe peanut allergy to request rooommates who are willing to be peanut-free in the room. It won’t matter if someone down the hall is eating peanut butter. I would hope that everyone is aware that severe peanut allergies are fairly common–I don’t put any nuts in items I take to potlucks, and I try to be careful of peanut butter in our house because my kids do have friends with peanut allergies who visit. Never had a problem here though we do eat plenty of nuts and peanuts.</p>
<p>Best way to bring pets to school is to convert them to wearables.</p>
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<p>Probably because it’s easier to detect whether someone’s sneaking in a pet from the noise/smells they emit than someone sneaking in alcohol which could be hidden much more easily. Especially by someone who doesn’t draw attention to him/herself. </p>
<p>Pets could also escape from the dormroom and be seen by others as was the case with a friend’s chinchilla.</p>
<p>Better hope your roommate does not videotape the sneaked in animal and post in on the net a la Rutgers! </p>
<p>Oh, lord. Someone brought a rabbit into my hall at Bryn Mawr and let it crap all over the halls. BMC prides itself on self-governance, which means, among other things, that there are no adults in the dorms. The RA was intimidated by the rabbit owner and did nothing. I’m an animal fan, but from what I’ve seen since my own experience, college students rarely do an adequate job of looking after their pet so it doesn’t impact others. Bad idea.</p>
<p>Imagine the rabbit found a companion! :)</p>