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Housing Search With Service Animals

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Breezi

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Hi,
I wondered if anyone had any advice for me. I'm going to search for a less expensive place to live, and I wondered if I should tell landlords about my service animals up front or just move in with them. My 2 cats, 10 and 12 years old, are ESAs and my dog is a service animal. My fear is that they will just cross me off of the list if I do that. Does anyone have any experience with this? It'll be my first time looking for a place with my animals.
Thank you, Traci

I wasn't sure which thread to post this question on, so please move if this isn't the appropriate space.
 
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Emotional support animals don't have accessibility rights. Your landlord has a right to consider them pets, I'm pretty sure?

Whether you tell a landlord about a service dog is up to you. If my dog fulfilled all of the requirements of a service animal, I wouldn't say anything until after securing a property, because they can't deny you access. However, if you can produce CGC papers or the like, it may make the landlord feel more at ease, especially if the property itself doesn't allow pet dogs.
 
This whole situation with emotional support dogs, service animals, thearpy dogs is beyond confusing! I have been reading it mostly everyone ends up arguing about it. From what i am reading emotional support animals are exempt from the no pet housing rules, if you have a disability, that is the value of having the note from a dr. That they are a emotional support animal, but yes like Simon said, they don't have the other access rights except airplanes.

I think I would turn in my application without saying anything, then if they were offering me a place, I would probably nicely say I have a service dog with me, I know legally I don't need to say anything but.... Ect.

Thanks I am very interested in this! Good luck on housing search
 
However, if you can produce CGC papers or the like, it may make the landlord feel more at ease, especially if the property itself doesn't allow pet dogs.

Pets can take the CGC and not required for ESAs or SDs. Basically, if they don't allow pets, the CGC is useless as pets can take that too.

ETA: I didn't mean to sound rude when I said that. I just meant that due to being open to all, yes, it shows that the dog has good mannors but that doesn't mean a pet dog isn't still a pet.

Emotional support animals don't have accessibility rights. Your landlord has a right to consider them pets, I'm pretty sure?

They don't have public access such as stores but DO have access to no pet housing due to the Fair Housing Act, to not discriminate against one with a disabilty. An ESA is included in that.

These are my thoughts, you know your rights but most others don't. My apartment complex seemes to be up on the laws (I have a service dog in training - owner training - which is covered by State Law) so they may be but due to fear of being crossed off the list, which is a vaild fear and not necessarly illegal. If they say no only based on that, thats illegal, but who will know that real true reason when it could be someone could move in faster or willing to pay more or (in my State) had better credit? Though, if they say no due to your ESAs and SD (as long as they are legally are as such) that IS illegal. It is discrimination.

Ok, so what I would do. Have copies of your Drs letters (updated if older then a year), copies of federal ADA and Fair Housing Act and also any State Statues reguarding ESAs and SDs. Also I always have all vet records to show he is up on all shots, and other parasites as well as his heart worm/flea & tick prevention (just me personally) and then don't tell them straight off. Ask for any disabilty accomendation if needed such as wheelchair ramps and handle bars but I wouldn't say a thing. Apply and move in. If they approach you about it after you move in, advise they are ESAs and SDs and provide all the info.

I will say that your doctor's letter should individually state each animal and what they do for you and why you need this cat AND that one AND a SD etc. As I can see that being an issue or something they may state. But if its in your Drs letter as a needed thing (to have them all) then its legally so.

ETA: I should add that I don't believe you must present any documentation in the fair housing act, and between federal law and state law, the one that applies is the one that more greatly protects the disabled person. But its what i do as its now in my file and a new person can't come along later and bother me as its all in my file.

Legally though, I believe the two question only applies. And I certianlly wouldn't offer it at any point.

ETA (I hope it's ok to add this as I believe education about SDs, ESAs, and TDs is very important):

This whole situation with emotional support dogs, service animals, thearpy dogs is beyond confusing!

Emotional support animals (can be any animal) aren't trained to do anything. They provide only emotional support by sitting there and being petted. They are allowed on airplanes and in no pet housing but cannot access other places such as stores and restraunts.

Therapy dogs are for others. To be brought into a hospital or elderly care for others to pet and play with etc. The CGC is required for a therapy dog still I believe.

Service Dogs (or miniture horse) is specially trained to preform a service (or tasks) for the handler such as guiding a blind person, alerting to anxiety and seizures, doing Deep Pressure therapy, giving physical personal space, giving mobilty assiatance, picking up items, carrying items, opening/closing doors just to name a few out of the MANY things a dog can be trained to do. The the differences in ESAs and SDs are SDs being trained to preform services that the handler cannot do for themselves.
 
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Pets can take the CGC and not required for ESAs or SDs.
Right. CGC and public access testing is not required for SDs, but if you have an SD and are apprehensive about how a landlord with perceive your SD, producing such certificates can go a very long way in making them feel very comfortable with your animal, even though you are already legally protected from discrimination. ;)
 
Understood @Simply Simon, I guess I am just saying no pets policy still applies to pet dogs that have passed the CGC. They are still pets under a no pet policy. But I suppose added with the info that they are ESAs & SDs, that would be a feel better thing. Like they behave themselves though SDs have massive training and cat ESAs can't go through the CGC so I don't know.

I personally don't like to pacify or do "feel better about but not legally required" things. At least not without education. So if my SD happened to pass the CGC then I will give it but say I did this as an addtion to our training but it isn't legally required. You can see many SD handlers on youtube do the same (search service dog access issues). Because lets say @Breezi shows apartment complexs the CGC certificate. Then I come along with my SD owner trained no certificates. The apartment complex is now going to ask me for one.

It happens a ton. I just personally try to think of those teams that come after me.

But I understand what you are saying.
 
In canada and the United states it's a criminal offense to refuse renting to someone because of a certified service animal. The same goes with emotional support animals. So let them refuse, you can always report them after, or if they say no, inform them on the laws. I'm not sure exactly where it is in the law books since I don't have a service animal.
 
I'm not sure exactly where it is in the law books

The Fair Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. For example, a landlord with a "no pets" policy may be required to grant an exception to this rule and allow an individual who is blind to keep a guide dog in the residence.

A Guide to Disability Rights Laws

Another good fact sheet:

Link Removed

Hopefully that info helps some.
 
If you were a landlord, how would you want the situation handled?

Regardless of the law, assuming you can find a place where your animals are welcome, wouldn't that make for a more comfortable living situation for all concerned? I've lived a lot of places and always had at least one dog. Sometimes it took more hunting but it was always workable. (Mine were just plain ol' animals, no special credentials.)

I just can't help but think, if you've got nothing to hide, why act like you do? If the landlord REALLY doesn't want animals, is it going to be a pleasant living situation? Even if the law says they have to accommodate you? You probably have enough stress in your life, without having to feel like your landlord hates you. (In the event that really doesn't bother you, feel free to ignore this as being 'not very helpful'.)
 
It's not as simple as one would hope.

The fair housing act is strong in covering Service Dogs.

It is moderately strong for ESAs. The landlord in all cases must provide 'reasonable accommodation' at their own expense. This includes anything from simply allowing the animal, to waiving pet fees.

But a cursory search shows that reasonable accommodation is defined differently in different states.

Just for example, here is California:

"Your landlord must modify its rules, policies or practices as a reasonable accommodation if the request is feasible, practical and necessary because of your disability. However, the landlord does not have to provide the accommodation if it would impose an unreasonable financial or administrative burden, or fundamentally change the nature of the housing services that the landlord provides. Landlords must provide reasonable accommodations at their own expense."

OP, you need to check out the laws in your state and see what you are obliged to provide for the ESAs especially. I'm not certain you'd have a case for a reasonable accommodation being 2 ESAs and an SD.

If possible, your best bet is to find someplace OK with animals.
 
It's not as simple as one would hope.
You need to check out the laws in your state and see what you are obliged to provide for the ESAs especially. I'm not certain you'd have a case for a reasonable accommodation being 2 ESAs and an SD. -

This is at the crux of the matter. I've decided to look for a home for them, even though it'll be hard. Who wants 2 cats, 10 and 12 years old, with one of them needing a special diet due to lack of teeth. She's declawed too, poor thing.
 
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