I’d pay for a sorority cat fight…
I say kick out both girls and let the dog stay.
When her panic attacks are bad they can result in restricting her breathing and so her dog lies on her stomach?
What? How is that a good response for someone who experiencing restricted breathing?
Sounds not right to me!
Wow, have times changed. In the mid 70s when I was in college, our sorority had a resident dog. She belonged to our house mother and was a valued member of our sisterhood. Individuals with pet allergies either took medication or limited their proximity to the dog. Of course, to be fair, girls interested in pledging knew there was a resident dog before they made their commitment.
I would tend to agree with those who say the more senior of the two girls should stay and the other go.
That would be my first reaction. I don’t think there’s a right to be in an allergy free zone here. At the same time I have my doubts about the right to have a helper animal for panic attacks. A blind or deaf person my need a helper dog around at all times, there are ways to establish that an animal is appropriate and helpful for those people, panic attacks are a different manner, there other treatments. I don’t know the circumstances and don’t like saying this but I question the ability of someone who suffers from panic attacks to live in the college environment at all. And if the attacks are not that severe then I question the need to allow a service animal to stay with her.
Despite all that, Goldman should get some shots for her allergies and put an end to the drama she started.
Why are people assuming she hasn’t tried shots or other medication already?
It’s like people are assuming just because there’s a drug out there for a particular problem, the problem doesn’t exist anymore.
I wish the world was so neat-and-tidy, but it’s not. There are a lot of people out there who aren’t helped by allergy shots. Or talk therapy or Xanax, for that matter.
I have to make assumptions with so little information. Otherwise all I could say is “It depends.” And Entine might do better with some medication instead of a dog. I don’t know, but I did assume the allergies would be easier to deal with than the panic attacks. You are right that it might not be that way at all.
I do not know the woman in question, but I have known people who could be taking medications for their allergies, who “don’t want chemicals in [their] body.” Seriously. These are people who carry an EpiPen, as though that isn’t chemicals (they justify it somehow by the fact that they need it very rarely, as opposed to a daily med, somehow not bothered by the fact the when they use the EpiPen, they’ve had a brush with death).
I think their risk assessment is a little off.
I’m enjoying the responses, especially the idea that should have been included as a poll option - kick out both complainers and let the dog stay. 
The story is pure clickbait because it’s something that gets a rise out of us able bodies, productive members of society. Here we have a contest between 2 people who are literally dueling in court to see who can be the bigger victim.
If the sorority house is on-campus, then the university is the landlord of the landlord.
I side with Cary. There are multiple ways for the dog owner to relieve stress, but only one way for the allergy victim to not suffer allergies.
Calm down people. I’ve read a few books so I know how to settle this. First you cut the dog in half and offer one half to each girl. The girls that really wants the dog more will be the one that cries harder, so give both peices to her. Problem solved!
[quote]
the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing accommodations against those who use service animals.
You must be allowed full and equal access to all housing facilities
[quote]
Hey, this is the Dope. So let’s ask some legal questions.
How relevant is the Fair housing Act, and the fact that the university is a public institution?
A sorority house is not a public accomodation. It’s private…A very private, very exclusive club which allows entrance only to members.
Unlike a hotel, (or, say, a regular dorm on campus), nobody from the wider student community can just walk into the lobby, pay the fee, and expect to be given a room.
(oh, yeah… I forgot: I like the idea of letting the dog stay in the house, and both girls leaving. Unless it’s a male dog, in which case it should be forced to pledge a fraternity 
)
The therapy animal thing does not sit right with me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my dogs, and I get that they can provide comfort in the horribleness that is panic attacks. But my understanding is that they are lousy therapy. They function as a security blanket, which actually impeded recovery.
That doesn’t mean I’m opposed to them, but I do not assign them the weight I would to a seeing eye dog. I just see them as a pet who provides comfort. And so I think the other girl’s complaint has more merit.
I don’t have Crohn’s, but my grandpa did. And anything that causes that to flare up is horrible. And there are definitely therapeutic benefits to avoiding triggers. And I do understand why allergies would be a trigger, causing the immune system to flare up. So it seems the more medically valid complaint.
Panic attacks don’t restrict breathing, but very much the opposite. However, because your body is trying to get more oxygen, it makes you feel like you can’t breathe, similar to how you get cold when your body is giving you a fever.
I guess sitting on her could help her take shallower breaths, which can help the situation, to tell the body to shut down the panic response. Though changing breathing speed is more effective, from what I’ve read. Or just breathing in a paper bag.
[quote=“chappachula, post:34, topic:801984”]
[quote]
the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing accommodations against those who use service animals.
You must be allowed full and equal access to all housing facilities
Sorry, chappachula.
I totally murdered the editing on that reply. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but even I’m having trouble distinguishing my reply from your post.
Sincere apologies.
Here’s a second try. If anyone wants to remove my two prior posts…
Sounds like a tough one. From Wikipedia, here is the rule:
Given that (most) sororities are in multiple states, I think interstate commerce applies. You could debate the word “private”, but I doubt that would hold water. I suspect they would not be truly considered private; if so, they would be free to discriminate on the basis of race, etc. I know that there is a lot of self selection and homogeneity in many Greek houses, but I doubt that this is truly sanctioned (sanctioned in the good way).
There’s some controversy and confusion about whether “emotional support animals” are legally “service animals” under ADA & related legislation. So it’s not quite as cut and dried as all that.
IANA expert but I’m on the board at my condo and we’re now dealing through our attorney on policy and practice for how to navigate the difference between true *bona fide *service animals that must be allowed unrestricted, pets that may be absolutely prohibited, and real (and fake) emotional support animals that may be both allowed and prohibited depending on the various types and legitimacies of mental health diagnoses.
To say it’s murky is an understatement. Pets are clear; Seeing eye dogs are clear. The middle is not a trackless legal swamp, but the signposts are few and partly contradictory. And depend on both federal and state law.