Enable emotional support animals (ESAs) on campus?

Help those with mental health problems feel comfortable about being on campus again, with their (medical) ESAs.

  • Petition submitted by on Mar 25, 2022

Review

This petition has reached the required number of backers to be reviewed at the next meeting.

How Will This Idea Benefit Students?

In their lifetime, nearly half of all adults (43.4%) have had at least one diagnosable mental health problem. In 2013, there were almost 4 million cases of mood disorders, including bipolar disorder, 8.2 million cases of anxiety disorder, and over 1 million cases of addicts in the UK. According to the survey, the proportion of adults aged 18 and over, reporting clinically significant psychological distress increased from 20.8% (2019) to 29.5% in April 2020 and then decreased to slightly 27.1% in January 2021. Multiple studies have confirmed this for anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep deprivation, and stress. A large study of adults in the midst of the COVID pandemic reported 26.1% of respondents reported self-harm thoughts, while 7.9% reported self-harm behaviours. A significant factor contributing to both self-harm thoughts and behaviours was experiencing physical or psychological abuse.

There has been an increase in mental health issues since the Coronavirus outbreak.

My mental health has been affected since I was just 8/9 years old, including suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and clinical depression. A person should NEVER feel ashamed of their mental health. It is imperative that I speak out because I want to help everyone out there who has experienced difficulty or struggle with a mental illness.

It is not always easy for people with mental health problems to talk. Even when engaging in various treatment methods, such as inpatient support or crisis support, it may not be very successful. People tend to crave companionship, something they can love, care for, and watch over, something they can always count on, a small little creature they can depend on.

Pets that provide companionship and comfort to people with mental or emotional disabilities are considered Emotional Support Animals.

In the UK, Emotional Support Animals are not recognized as certified assistance animals as they are in the US. Thus, emotional support animals are not subject to the same rules as other assistance animals, such as guide dogs. In other words, people with any type of illness - schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety - are not allowed to keep an emotional support animal. They could lose their pet, be prevented from keeping it in their housing, and the list goes on. Their quality of life and emotional wellbeing would be severely impacted if they were separated from their pet.

It's not just me who relies on my pets for emotional wellbeing. Many people around the world do the same. Currently, these animals are not recognized, nor can they travel as freely as registered assistance animals.

 Mental Health IS a disability. Just like any other. Just because you can't always see it doesn't mean it isn't there...

THIS PETITION HOPES TO ENABLE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS ON CAMPUS AND HELP SPREAD THE MOVEMENT ACROSS ALL HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."- Helen Keller

How Can The Union Achieve This?

Pass this idea on to the university and be part of the mental health movement for all higher educational institutions in the United Kingdom.

THIS PETITION HOPES TO ENABLE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS ON CAMPUS AND HELP SPREAD THE MOVEMENT ACROSS ALL HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.


Petition Updates

  • Backers Needed Reached

    This idea has reached the required number of backers and will now be reviewed at the Student Council.

  • Petition in review

    This petition will now be reviewed at the next Student Council. You can find the date on the Meetings section of the HYS platform.

  • Petition needs Backers to Continue

    This petition needs 15 student backers by 17:45 22nd Apr 2022 to proceed.

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