UNK facing federal suit over student's therapy dog

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20121114/NEWS/711149942/1016#unk-facing-federal-suit-over-student-s-therapy-dog

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — A request by a Nebraska college student to keep a miniature therapy dog in her university apartment has unleashed the big dogs in federal court.

University of Nebraska at Kearney officials, who denied the student's request, recently asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, D.C., and Omaha.

However, the Justice Department maintains its opinion that the university violated the U.S. Fair Housing Act. Under fair housing rules, UNK should accommodate students who need animals to help them cope with disabling mental illnesses, they argue.

A lawyer for UNK, meanwhile, said that while the question hasn't been “squarely” decided by the courts, Congress never intended the act to apply to college residences. If it had, dorm room segregation by gender would clearly violate the law.

FULL story at link.