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Sorority Sisters Fight Over Whether Assistance Dog Should Stay In The House

| Published on November 15, 2017

At Ohio State University, two sorority sisters have gone to court in order to settle a dispute over a dog.

Madeleine Entine, a sophomore, shares her room with Cory, an 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who helps her cope with her panic attacks. Entine claims that the episodes render her unable to function and the pup has been trained how to calm her down.

“Cory’s presence on Ms. Entine’s torso helps relieve her panic attacks and restore her ability to breathe and move,” states her complaint, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

But not all the members of the household find Cory so helpful. Fellow sister Carly Goldman has severe allergies to the dog, who she didn’t realize was living in the house when she moved back in this August. Goldman has Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, which flared up soon after settling in. The story explains:

“Goldman said that when she returned to the sorority house in August, her allergies flared. She could hardly breathe and couldn’t sleep, and rashes formed on her body. She couldn’t take antibiotics because of her Crohn’s, an autoimmune disorder. The allergies aggravated the disease, leaving her constipated for weeks, Goldman said.

While Cory was only allowed on certain floors of the house, the hair and dander that clung to other sorority sisters still interfered with Goldman’s allergies. Plus, she claimed he would still go in rooms that he wasn’t supposed to be in.

When the issue was brought to university advisors, Entine was told that she and her dog were to move out of the house. Unwilling to accept the decision, Entine sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). L. Scott Lissner, ADA coordinator at the university, offered both Entine and Goldman alternative places to live. According to The Columbus Dispatch,

“Entine declined, saying the sorority house provides social relationships and living and dining experiences not available in campus house. Also, Entine said she has become a Chi Omega chapter vice president, which requires her to live in the house.”

Both girls are protected under the ADA, so Lissner suggested that the fair solution would be to let the student who signed up for housing first stay – and that was Goldman. However, the case has been taken to court where a federal judge will make the decision on who gets to stay.

Who do you think should move out of the sorority house? Tell us in the comments below!

(h/t: The Columbus Dispatch)

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