[(JD)]

http://www.bazelon.org/issues/housin...nfosheet6.html

"Because emotional support and service animals are not "pets," but rather are considered to be more like assistive aids such as wheelchairs, the law will generally require the landlord to make an exception to its "no pet" policy so that a tenant with a disability can fully use and enjoy his or her dwelling."

"In most housing complexes, so long as the tenant has a letter or prescription from an appropriate professional, such as a therapist or physician, and meets the definition of a person with a disability, he or she is entitled to a reasonable accommodation that would allow an emotional support animal in the apartment."

Just thought you'd wanna know!

[sabby]

Great information _Sky!

Thanks so much for sharing

Hugssssssss
J

[Lexicon78]

Awesome!

[nothemama8]

you have answered a prayer

[Maven]

Oh, Sky, thanks for telling us that! I love the Bazelon Center, and have them bookmarked, but I don't have time to go through every paper on everything I'd like to, on mental health rights and everything else. While I'm not getting a dog anytime soon, and our apartment complex doesn't allow dogs, it's good to know I'd have a legal argument, if I had wanted to get one while here. Now that we'll be moving into a house, of course, I can get a dog without problems. I know my bf wouldn't want to enforce my rights here, though, because he doesn't like to make trouble.

(((((((((((((((( Sky )))))))))))))))))

Thank you so much!

This is very good information to have. I don't know if I'd qualify but I think I would. And I have always relied on a cat for assistance.. to notice when the phone rings, someone is at the door, a pot is boiling over, something is out of the ordinary/ not 'right', etc.

I like dogs and probably could qualify for a hearing ear dog. I have one hearing aid (is all I can afford) and without any aid can't hear more than about 4 feet; with the aid people still have to talk louder and distinctly for me but it helps. I did have a dog once and he was a great help. He wasn't trained to be an assist dog, but being a dog he just did .

Now I don't like to be out much and have no car and a dog wouldn't be a good idea for me. Besides I prefer to have a cat; a cat is calming and soothing, low maintenance, nearly-- if not as-- helpful, something to take care of and so I don't focus on just me. And I can keep him inside and avoid fleas. (I know they can hitch a ride in on me but so far that hasn't happened--maybe because I'm so much an indoor cat too?! ).

My current cat seems to be a mix of cat and dog sometimes, especially when we play 'fetch'. I never had a cat fetch before! We both enjoy it.

Anyway, thank you very much for sharing this.

[(JD)]

I hope your bf learns the difference between advocating for yourself and "making trouble." Good to hear you're getting a house. The organization that is training my dog doesn't go that far west ..only east ... but I do know there are more groups over there who provide trained dogs. Contact them now, as it takes some time usually. Did you ever see the listing of organizations I had posted here before? I think googling service dog organizations, and the State you live in will bring it up. I know Sertoma and Lions Club are two there.

[(JD)]

Always glad to be of assistance

(((Hugs to all)))) Thanks for your appreciation.

[Fuzzybear]

hmm.... I took this title personally

Good thread though

LOL Fuzzy... you ARE my emotional support animal already, sister!

[Wants2Fly]

[(JD)]

I'm not sure a real bear could qualify, but horses do... so I guess the only problem would be how would you go anywhere with them? I think any animal can qualify, esp if they comfort you Fuzzybears certainly qualify, imo

I hope at least one of you now can get one... as the law allows. You can even fly with them in the cabin if they are small enough and properly housed...though it's $50 or so.... that's how we had caleb flown down from wisewoman

There are communities of about 13000 elderly ppl each down here, that won't allow pets. But the majority of the homes have an "illegal" cat! I wish there was some way for me to get them the info to make it legit...it would remove their guilt and relieve their antics of hiding these animals.

(Service, emotional support, and therapy animals are NOT by law "pets." Not.

Have a good day!

[seeker1950]

Someone mentioned a cat here, and I was surprised to see that...
I think my old kitty, who was a stray from kittenhood, and whom I still have, saved my life when I was the victim of a stalker several years ago.
I had just divorced and moved into my first house, and had become unwittingly and naively involved with an alcoholic/addict much younger man. When I realized how dangerous the situation was, and with his increasing stalking, I actually sold my house (at a loss of $10,000), but before I got moved out of it, he came one night and my cat alerted me, acting weird and lookilng from side to side. This behavior of the cat made me go to the glass patio door and there he stood with a rock, breaking thru the door, but had it not been for the cat's behavior, I would have been unaware and unable to escape. This fella had a gun and followed me to the neighbor's yard, and they called 911.
I have always been so grateful to "OL' Kitty!"
Patty

[Maven]

I saw a thing on the news a few years ago about a miniature horse used by a blind person the same way they get a seeing eye dog. So, horses can work.

Yes, I've heard of Lions Club. I'm sure I could find plenty of places for support animals with a simple Google. But I will probably go rescue a dog from our local SPCA, since I don't need a support animal in the professional sense...if anyone says my dog isn't support, I'd tell them they're wrong.

Our basement is still flooded, and my bf can't make any headway with it, because water keeps coming in. And it's supposed to rain in a day or two. *Sigh!* We were supposed to move in last weekend, were hoping for this weekend, but probably won't for at least three weeks (because my boyfriend wants to go to a historical event in Delaware two weekends from now, although I think he should skip it this year and concentrate on moving!). I'm not trying to go off-topic, but just updating Sky on her mentioning it's good we got a house. I don't like a lot of things about it and the situation, but it'll be better than living here...our lease is up at the end of May, so we really need to get going.