Emotional Support Animals And Renting
An emotional support animal, also sometimes called a comfort animal or therapy dog, is not a pet.
Emotional support animals and renting. While only dogs are considered service animals under the ada (and some accommodations may be required for the use of some miniature horses), the fair housing act has no such restriction. For improving mental health and alleviating symptoms of emotional disability, humans have turned to emotional support animals. An emotional support animal (esa) offers comfort and companionship to individuals who suffer from emotional or mental conditions.
However, landlords and tenants should remember the rule of reasonable accommodation and try to work together to solve any rental issues. That means that if a renter has an actual, medically prescribed, emotional support animal, then the landlord has to allow them to have that animal in the property and cannot evict them for having that animal. According to the john marshall law school, emotional support animals “provide companionship, relief from loneliness and depression and may be allowed in housing with “no pet” restrictions.” the fine lines between what landlords can and cannot allow when it comes to emotional support animal.
Emotional support animals are not required to undergo specialized training and their primary role is to provide their disabled owners with emotional comfort. If you are renting housing and have an emotional support animal, it is a good idea to have your documentation ready before broaching the topic with your landlord. If a lease states a tenant cannot have pets or can only have pets of a certain size and type, then these conditions must be followed or the tenant is not abiding by the contract.the landlord could choose to terminate the lease, and give a 14 day notice to the tenant to end the tenancy.
Essentially, when you register your animal as an esa, you are stating that their presence helps you with an emotional disability. This typically takes the form of a letter written and signed by a medical professional. This means that the pet is a comfort animal and is not required to have special training.
Renting and emotional support animals 101. It’s actually a right bestowed by law and guaranteed by an emotional support letter given to you by a medical. The fair housing act requires that all assistance animals be allowed housing, which includes apartments, homes, hotels, and motels.
Emotional support animals and housing: Emotional support animals are a bit different, but carry some of the same privileges when renting a house or apartment. Further, they cannot charge them a pet deposit for having the emotional support animal on the rented property.