ALLENDALE (WKZO) -- Grand Valley State University will pay a woman 40-thousand dollars in a court settlement over not allowing her to have a guinea pig in her dorm room.

Kendra Velzen sued the university in federal court last year, saying the university was breaking federal housing laws because the animal was her service animal.  She has a heart condition and suffers from severe depression.

GVSU argued the guinea pig wasn't a trained service animal.