Emotional support animals provide students with comfort of home

Nata, a 4-year-old cat, flew all the way from Mexico to come to UNC. 

His owner, Paloma Fernandez had to come to Chapel Hill without Nata her first year, but registered him as an emotional support animal this past August. As an international student, she explained that having Nata on campus has been a source of security for her. 

“Bringing him here has just been like bringing a part of home with me,” Fernandez said. “And it's been so reassuring and so comforting to come home from class and have him here.” 

Fernandez said that the process for getting Nata approved to live on campus was relatively easy once she had a letter of recommendation to have an ESA. 

Within two weeks of submitting a letter of recommendation from a mental health professional to Accessibility Resources & Services, she was approved to bring Nata to her dorm. 

Getting him here from her hometown in Mexico, though, was quite the process. She said she flew all the way to Mexico City just to pick him up from her great aunt’s house and flew him back the same day. 

“He'd never flown before, as most cats don't,” she said. “But he's a pretty calm and chill cat.” 

Other than a few nervous meows from Nata, it was smooth sailing as they landed in North Carolina, where Nata started his new life in Chapel Hill, brightening people’s days. 

“He's just such a light that is always cheering me up,” Fernandez said. 

Fernandez said Nata has adjusted well to dorm life. He often sits at her window, looking out at the people passing by. 

“He loves people,” she said. “Whenever my friends come over, he always runs over to get all the attention he can get and all the pets because he loves attention, so he's always looking to make new friends.” 

One of Nata’s friends, Miso, is another ESA cat. Miso’s owner, Nadia Hussein, is a UNC senior. Sometimes, Miso and Nata have playdates. 

 Hussein adopted Miso last year when she was a junior. 

Studies show that ESAs help people with mental health conditions manage their symptoms in times of crisis, according to a publication in the National Library of Medicine. 

Hussein said that Miso has helped her with her struggles with anxiety and disordered eating. 

“Taking care of her reminds me that I need to take care of myself,” Hussein said. 

She said that having a routine feeding schedule for Miso helps Hussein structure her own meal times and helps her calm down when she is anxious. 

Fernandez is a residential advisor, and Hussein was an RA last year as well. They both described seeing their residents receive the same relaxing benefits from hanging out with their cats. 

One of Fernandez’s residents, Lily Sawyer, a first-year from California, is a frequent visitor of Nata. 

Sawyer has two dogs at home, but since they are so far away, she has not been able to see them since school started. She said that she misses being able to unwind and de-stress with her dogs, but having Nata nearby has helped. 

“Being able to just be around an animal, there's no judgment,” Sawyer said. “You're able just to express yourself, and even if that is not verbally. It could just be giving this cat a hug, but that, I think, makes me feel a lot better.” 

UNC has allowed emotional support animals on campus for more than a decade and there are over 50 emotional support animals on campus currently, according to Steven Wiley, Director of Administrative Services for Carolina Housing. 

“Carolina Housing wants to help every residential student have the resources necessary for their success,” Wiley said in an email. “As an approved accommodation, ESAs are a critical resource to those who need them, so it's important to ensure students have access.”

Those who think they may benefit from having an ESA on campus can submit a letter of recommendation from a mental health professional to Accessibility Resources & Services or Equal Opportunity and Compliance.

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