Pet-free Apartment, But I Want Emotional Support Animal.?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I have been very depressed for a long time, and am currently being treated with medication and counseling. My doctor and counselor have both recommended that I have an animal. I can no doubt get notes from them.
I am speaking to my landlord next week–do I have a right to a support animal? I want to have a small italian greyhound, and I also will train it well because I want to be a professional dog trainer.
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Go ahead and feel out your landlord’s position. He may have had experience with this before and if you make it clear you will be responsible and the dog will not disturb neighbors it will be that much easier.
If he seems resistant, try the formal approach. It takes two letters, one from you and one from your doctor. Your letter is called a “request for reasonable accommodation” and your doctor’s is called “supporting documentation.”
Here are a series of articles that explain the process and give examples of both kinds of letters: http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content…
ETA: The ADA does not apply to most housing. In fact it pretty much only applies to public housing. The correct law for most ordinary housing is the Fair Housing Amendments Act and the regulatory agencies enforcing it are HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and DOJ (Department of Justice). There are exemptions, so review the documents in the article above to make sure it applies in your situation. (But most likely it does.)
ETA: Emotional support animals are not required to have special training beyond what is expected of a well-behaved pet. They must not disturb neighbors with excessive barking. They must not be aggressive. And the owner must be responsible about scooping. That’s about it, except that the owner is still responsible for any damages done by the animal. The fact that the asker intends to train the dog well is just an indication the asker intends to be a very responsible dog owner. Kudos for that!
your Dr’s. should be able to guide you better on this as it is a MEDICAL treatment, and by law (American with disabilities act) you may have the right to have one. If you were blind they could not stop you from having a seeing eye dog, or disabled and needed a helper dog. That would be discrimination. BUT you must have a MEDICAL need and have Medical documentation stating as such
The only hitch I see is that YOU want to train the dog. If YOU train it it is NOT a helper animal its a pet. Helper dogs/therapy dogs must undergo a certification process or they are NOT helper/therapy animals but pets. When you apply for a helper dog or therapy dog through an agency you DO NOT Choose the animal, the ANIMAL CHOOSES YOU, if no animal chooses you, then its wait until the next time.
Landlords do not have to listen to doctors notes.
However if you are HUD, then you may be able to have your animal if the doctors say so. It all depends. I have seen people with cats that have doctors notes living in HUD apartments and housing.
That might be tough. If they don’t allow it then you may have to wait until you can move to a place that does. In the mean time study up on being a dog trainer so you can look forward to when you get your pup!
Yes, HUD says you can have a dog, but your landlord can limit the size of the dog. Most places say not over 35 pounds.
If your land lord says you can’t have a dog than why not get a fish? THey are less work and can be very entertaining.