Jul 19, Insights 0 comments. Most people know the importance of service dogs specifically trained to provide practical, daily support for people with disabilities. What may be less understood is the emerging use of animals classified as an emotional support animal ESA.
As a landlord, it is perfectly legal to have a no-pets policy for your properties. However, you should be aware of some legal exceptions to this rule. Assistance animals are not pets. They are animals that work, assist, and provide therapeutic support for individuals with disabilities. An ESA can be any small, domesticated animal typically kept in the home. These animals help people with mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or PTSD by offering comfort, companionship, and security.
There are laws in place to protect these animals and help their owners lead barrier-free lives. This protection extends to properties with a no-pet policy.
A reasonable accommodation request for an ESA may include:. By contrast, a request to tear up the back outdoor space in order to plant grass for the dog is most likely unreasonable because it puts an undue financial burden on the landlord.
Most verified discrimination charges investigated by the U. Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD involves housing providers denying a reasonable accommodation to a person with a physical or mental disability. Therefore, knowing which questions to ask a new tenant and what information you may legally use to assess the FHA accommodations you are required to provide is imperative.
