Sep 10, 2014 03:43 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Kent State University (KSU) is facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department (DoJ) over a 2010 incident involving a student and her dog.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, KSU forbade one of its students, who is prone to fits of anxiety, from having a dog live with her in her dorm because the animal was not a trained therapy dog. The DoJ said in its lawsuit that KSU, the school's Board of Trustees and other officials violated the Fair Housing Act.

Jacqueline Luke filed a complaint in 2010 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when the school initially told her she could not have her dog in her dorm room. The DoJ's lawsuit also accused KSU of treating psychological and mental disabilities less seriously than others.

Luke said in her complaint that a KSU psychologist recommended she live with her dog on campus to ease her stress in times of an anxiety attack. A hugely popular family pet, studies have proven that dogs reduce stress and anxiety.

"Kent State University is aware of the charges stemming from claims made several years ago," KSU said in a statement Monday. "Helping our students succeed remains a top priority, and we look forward to discussing the facts of this case at the appropriate time."

KSU typically only allows students to have fish in their dorm rooms and trained "service animals" for students with a disability. Luke's diagnosis of anxiety and panic disorder should make her eligible to live with a therapy dog.

Though Luke moved out of the university housing building when KSU told her she needed to remove the dog from her room, the DoJ wants to prevent further discrimination. KSU officials had also apparently discussed allowing Luke to own a cat, but did not inform the student.

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