# Girl sues to take pet ferret to classes **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215 "2005-10-14T13:52:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Vevila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@Vevila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vevila)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/41 "2005-10-14T17:26:22Z")
I think I can guess the reason why the college does not want to grant an exception: If an exception is made for this animal which does not meet the standards set out by the ADA to be qualified as a service animal, then what exactly is to prevent more people from claiming they too need little Fuzzy McFlufferstein to function? If the animal cannot meet standards set out by the ADA, then tough. Either lobby the appropriate people to get your animal approved under ADA guidelines, or get yourself an animal that already meets the standards. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/42 "2005-10-14T17:29:35Z")
Just because someone is a \ does not mean they aren’t an \. And calling that person as such does not make you \. If she were a herpophilic (sp?) PTSD sufferer, would anyone be in favor of allowing her to bring a boa to class? I think the benfits of having an animal assistant in class need to be weighed in light of the possible effects its presence has on others in the class. I think, in this case, it is fair to say her request is out of line because (as has been noted above) the ferret is likely to be a disturbance. And for the record, I am all for making reasonable accomadations for folks; I just don’t think this is reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/43 "2005-10-14T17:33:20Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > If I was a college student suffering from PTSD, Id’ find that the having 22 year old, naked co-eds, covered in chocolate and marshmallow cream and rolling around on 400-count Egyptian cotton sheets while listening to the Shanghai String Quartet, had a wonderfully soothing effect on my psychologocal condition. But I’d draw the line at taking them to class with me. > > It sounds less like PTSD than it does being too immature to cope with being away from Mom and Dad. According to the article, she’s had infrequent attacks since she’s been at school _without_ the ferret. Maybe she’s growing up. If ever i need an asshole’s group of chocolate covered co-eds, and marshmallow cream and rolling around on 400-count Egyptian cotton sheets while listening to the Shanghai String Quartet, i’ll be sure to contact you. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/44 "2005-10-14T18:03:32Z")
> [@Vevila](#): > > If an exception is made for this animal which does not meet the standards set out by the ADA to be qualified as a service animal, then what exactly is to prevent more people from claiming they too need little Fuzzy McFlufferstein to function? This is just too stupid for words. I’m not advocating that the school allow the ferret just because she wants a cute animal. The person in question here has a recognized psychological disorder for which she has been receiving ongoing treatment. Not even the school itself denies that her condition is real, only that it qualifies under the ADA. If other people try to follow your moronic example of “claiming they too need little Fuzzy McFlufferstein to function,” then the school should evaluate those claims on a case by case basis. The claim that this one case is likely to lead to an avalanche of similar instances has no basis in reality, and is simply the product of pettiness and idiocy. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/45 "2005-10-14T18:04:57Z")
> [@JustAnotherGeek](#): > > Just because someone is a \ does not mean they aren’t an \. And calling that person as such does not make you \. Well, given all the people in this thread who were making “hate group” accusations, i’m glad you cleared that up. :rolleyes: Moron. ---
**Author:** ![Vevila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@Vevila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vevila)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/46 "2005-10-14T18:19:26Z")
**mhendo** , I’m actually defending her right to sue as it could potentially change the definition of service animals under the ADA. As it stands now, however, I do not believe the school should be placed in the position of having to determine whether someone’s animal qualifies as a service animal or not. I guess I should have made that more clear in my previous post. I don’t doubt she has some serious issues, and that she believes the ferret helps her cope. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/47 "2005-10-14T18:28:00Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > This is just too stupid for words. > > I’m not advocating that the school allow the ferret just because she wants a cute animal. The person in question here has a recognized psychological disorder for which she has been receiving ongoing treatment. Not even the school itself denies that her condition is real, only that it qualifies under the ADA. No, it’s not. If you allow pets for people who are prone to anxiety attacks, then people who want to keep their rats, hamsters, cats, or whatever are going to claim to have anxiety disorders. Even if you said, “pets only with a doctor’s note,” the campus would be crawling with pets – because panic attacks are pretty common. Yes, the woman has a medical condition. That sucks. Maybe it helps her to have a pet with her. _But you can’t have pets at college_. You can’t have pets a lot places. So this woman needs to learn to cope with her anxiety disorder the way everyone else does – with medication, therapy, and resolve. There’s a good reason that pets aren’t allowed on campus. There are thousands of people with chronic anxiety who find that smoking helps keep their panic attacks at bay. Would you have any sympathy for some jerk who sued for the right to smoke in class because it made him feel better? The world does not always adapt to you. Allowing people to keep pets for comfort is not a reasonable adaptation. This woman is either going to have to learn to cope without her ferret on her shoulder, or resign herself to avoiding places where ferrets aren’t allowed – like college. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/48 "2005-10-14T18:41:51Z")
If someone is so low-functioning that they need to take an animal everywhere they go, then how can they function well enough to take care of that animal? To be in school at all? To hold a job once they got out of school? And what psychologist in their right mind (I am assuming she got a doctor to approve this ferret as a service animal) would suggest using a security blanket like this to help an anxiety disorder? Anxiety disorders can’t be cured by clinging to things, whether they’re animals, ritualistic behavior, or other people. The only way this girl will be helped is to plunge herself full-stop into the stressful environment, with just enough support to keep her from totally freaking and shutting down. And I don’t think that support should include an animal whose “skill” is basically just to exist. I don’t think she should be allowed to have it in the dorms either. If she’s so bad off, why not hire a psychiatric nurse or aide to accompany her to classes? At least a person like that would have training. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/49 "2005-10-14T18:51:50Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Maybe she could switch to a more easily concealable animal; a gerbil, perhaps. That’s what I was thinking. People carry animals around with them all the time, hidden in bags/pockets/bras. I once knew someone who kept her rat in her bra, she fed him bits of hash to keep him docile. As always in these cases, as an animal lover with a profound cat allergy, I am of two minds. If someone sat beside me with a cat in their bag, I would last maybe five minutes before running, wheezing, from the room. (Sitting beside someone with cat hair on their clothes can even present a problem.) Are ferret allergies common? ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/50 "2005-10-14T18:54:00Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > That’s what I was thinking. > > People carry animals around with them all the time, hidden in bags/pockets/bras. > > I once knew someone who kept her rat in her bra, she fed him bits of hash to keep him docile. No, I don’t think you get it. It was really funny, too. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/51 "2005-10-14T18:56:15Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > That’s what I was thinking. You’ve been semi-whooshed. Think Richard Gere. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/52 "2005-10-14T19:11:26Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > A girl that suffers anxiety, depression and panic attacks and says she needs to take her pet ferret not just to her dorm, but also to classes to manage her disorders. > > . Good for her. I want to take a pit bull to class with me. To make me feel safe. Or if that’s too much trouble, I’ll carry a revovler. Maybe to eat/shoot the ferret when it tries to bite me. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/53 "2005-10-14T19:19:16Z")
One thing I don’t understand - she has panic attacks, yet she is majoring in public relations? I love animals, but I just can’t see bringing a ferret to class as appropriate. If it’s awake, she is probably not going to be able to pay attention in class. Every ferret I’ve ever known would only put up with being held for a relatively short period of time. Maybe this young lady should wait until her treatment has made further progress before she attempts college. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/54 "2005-10-14T19:25:03Z")
What I am pretty sure will happen is that the college will be legally allowed to tell her to go home and pull herself together and come back when she doesn’t need a ferret to make it through the day. I speak with some authority. Not on ferrets. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/55 "2005-10-14T19:30:16Z")
For all we know, Ms. Sevick may be the first psychologically-scarred victim of the home schooling movement. Or maybe the Willard and Ben characters had too big an impact on her life. Too bad furriers don’t use ferrets, but if the professors keep the thermostat down, perhaps wearing a nice [black mink](http://www.7thheavenfurs.com/sarah1/561.jpg) will soothe her during class. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/56 "2005-10-14T19:31:25Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > No, it’s not. If you allow pets for people who are prone to anxiety attacks, then people who want to keep their rats, hamsters, cats, or whatever are going to claim to have anxiety disorders. I still contend that this slippery slope argument is moronic. Just because you’re paranoid anbout some sudden avalanche of claims doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen. > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Even if you said, “pets only with a doctor’s note,” the campus would be crawling with pets – because panic attacks are pretty common. But you don’t say that. You say “no pets,” and if someone is worried enough about the issue to make a special request, then you investigate the merits of the argument. > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Yes, the woman has a medical condition. That sucks. Maybe it helps her to have a pet with her. _But you can’t have pets at college_. You can’t have pets a lot places. So this woman needs to learn to cope with her anxiety disorder the way everyone else does – with medication, therapy, and resolve. There’s a good reason that pets aren’t allowed on campus. I agree that it would be ideal if she could cope with her problems this way. But the fact that “everyone else [deals with this problem]…with medication, therapy, and resolve” kind of refutes your previous claim that this one case will open the school up to an inundation of furry creatures. It’s one or the other—either this woman is a special case, or she isn’t. Which would you prefer? > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > There are thousands of people with chronic anxiety who find that smoking helps keep their panic attacks at bay. Would you have any sympathy for some jerk who sued for the right to smoke in class because it made him feel better? Well, as i’ve already made the case the a solution might be to allow her to have the animal on campus (i.e., in her room) but not in class, i’m not sure how that’s relevant. > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > The world does not always adapt to you. Allowing people to keep pets for comfort is not a reasonable adaptation. This woman is either going to have to learn to cope without her ferret on her shoulder, or resign herself to avoiding places where ferrets aren’t allowed – like college. Again, the suggestion i made was one that allowed for her to have the animal close by, but not to disrupt classes etc. with it presence. In my opinion, that would not be an unreasonable adaptation for one special case. While i believe that her appeal to the DoJ is unwarranted and misguided, the very fact that she’s willing to go this far suggests that the desire to have the ferret is not simply a whim for a pet. > [@HPL](#): > > Good for her. I want to take a pit bull to class with me. To make me feel safe. Or if that’s too much trouble, I’ll carry a revovler. Maybe to eat/shoot the ferret when it tries to bite me. This thread really is bringing out the stupids. > [@Vevila](#): > > mhendo , I’m actually defending her right to sue as it could potentially change the definition of service animals under the ADA. As it stands now, however, I do not believe the school should be placed in the position of having to determine whether someone’s animal qualifies as a service animal or not. Ah, i get it now. Sorry. I tend to agree that the school is in a tough position here, and i’m not unequivocally condemning their position. They do have to balance the interests of this woman with those of the institution and the student body as a whole. My main point in entering this thread in the first place was to oppse the people who were ridiculing the young woman or even, in some cases, claiming that her psychological disorder is fake or made up. As for whether the ADA needs to be expanded to include a wider range of animals, that’s something about which i don’t feel qualified to comment at any great length. In fact, even in this particular case, i’d be interested to hear what the woman’s psychologist or psychiatrist has to say about the role that this animal actually plays in the woman’s recovery process. > [@Snakescatlady](#): > > One thing I don’t understand - she has panic attacks, yet she is majoring in public relations? Well, i made a joke about this earlier, but in fact there are jobs in PR and marketing that are more behind-the-scenes, involving things like the wriitng of copy, drafting of press releases, etc., etc. > [@Snakescatlady](#): > > Maybe this young lady should wait until her treatment has made further progress before she attempts college. Ideally, you’re probably right. The problem is that many people with certain psychological conditions never really get over them, and have to do their best to function in the world at a less-than-ideal level. Still, this woman is only 19, and another year off to try and get herself into a better frame of mind to deal with college without the ferret would seem advisable. > [@Caricci](#): > > What I am pretty sure will happen is that the college will be legally allowed to tell her to go home and pull herself together and come back when she doesn’t need a ferret to make it through the day. I’d be willing to bet that you’re right on target. I can’t see her complaint being successful. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/57 "2005-10-14T19:37:29Z")
I’m curious: why a ferret? Did she try different animals before the ferret? I would think that a ferret would be lower on the lists of animals behind dogs, cats, birds, compact rodents, etc. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/58 "2005-10-14T19:41:46Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I’m curious: why a ferret? Did she try different animals before the ferret?.. She’s probably a member here on the SDMB, let’s hang around to see if she’ll post her answer. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/59 "2005-10-14T19:50:35Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I agree that it would be ideal if she could cope with her problems this way. But the fact that “everyone else [deals with this problem]…with medication, therapy, and resolve” kind of refutes your previous claim that this one case will open the school up to an inundation of furry creatures. It’s one or the other—either this woman is a special case, or she isn’t. Which would you prefer? Maybe if other people had the OPTION of having an “emotional service” animal, they wouldn’t want to use medication or therapy. Face it–the animal is an easy way out. If everyone was allowed to use their own easy ways out of dealing with anxiety, it would be a problem. What if someone petitioned the school to let them bring their mom to class? Or someone with OCD asked for a special wash basin so they could repeatedly wash their hands during the lesson? I used to have really bad agoraphobia–would I have been justified in bringing a satellite link-up to class so I could learn without leaving the house? The slippery slope argument IS relevant in this case, because things like that WOULD happen. Especially when you can have a cute, fuzzy coping aide. I think the school should offer her the option of a human aide and if she rejects that (what, not fuzzy enough?) then just tell her to suck it up. Because that’s really the only way to deal with anxiety disorders, when you come down to it. Suck it up. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215/60 "2005-10-14T19:55:32Z")
Do we need to point out that this woman isn’t the only one affected by her need to have a ferret with her at all times. I have allergic reactions to animals. I sneeze, I itch, my eyes water. College dorms and classrooms are tightly packed places. An animal being kept in the room next to me could very well set off a session of sneezing. She needs to get out of the dorm, and into an apartment. Then it’s time to figure out how to cope with several hours on her own. She’s not going to be able to take a ferret with her throughout life. Time to learn another coping mechanism. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girl-sues-to-take-pet-ferret-to-classes/326215.md?page=4)