[dr3am]

Hi guys, so i have a registered esa dog to help me with my depression. I was able to get it allowed in my condo that has a no pet policy for renters. That's all fine and well however, i am very limitted to taking my dog out to the few dog designated walking areas that are far from my building. My question is am i allowed to walk with my support animal in the courtyard and around my building or do i have to follow the rules for designated pet areas? Thanks for any help guys!

 

[AlwaysTomboy]

Hello. Pretty sure service dogs have to follow neighborhood and community laws so if that's the case, ESAs would also, I'd think. An ESA is a reasonable accommodation negotiation between your landlord/home owner's association/condo board/whatever and you, so I guess it might depend on how unreasonable the current acceptable dog walking places are for you. I would look into the laws thoroughly and discuss with your landlord before making any assumptions, though.

Note my vague wording. I'm not at all knowledgeable and am just going by my best guess from what I've read on the topic. Service Dog Central is a great resource and folks there would know the answer for sure.

Here's a link to the official HUD statement regarding ESAs and service dogs and housing.

Sorry I don't have a better answer. Hope some of that helps. Good luck!

 

[Shandula]

ESAs do not have public access rights, meaning that if a normal "pet dog" can't go there, neither can your ESA. Only Service Dogs have access to public areas.

 

[dr3am]

Okay thank you. How about my landlord now wants to redo my lease and charge me $50 more a month because i got the esa dog. Is she allowed to do that? I already payed her a $350 non refundable security deposit for the dog...

 

[KodaKeet]

Okay thank you. How about my landlord now wants to redo my lease and charge me $50 more a month because i got the esa dog. Is she allowed to do that? I already payed her a $350 non refundable security deposit for the dog...

From what I understood, they are not allowed to charge you for your ESA to live in no-pet housing. But if the animal does damage to the home they could. but I could be wrong.

 

[Bentwings]

I'm pretty sure the rule also notes that if the housing unit is four or less appartment then the no charge rule does not apply.

If you have a doctor's recommendation the landlord can not charge pet related fees. Mine refunded me back to the date of the doctor's recommendation. Since I had originally had a dog before this I was not refunded the original pet fee. I have renewed three times with my ESA dog with no charges.

I don't tell people at my appt what classification my dog is because it was a lot of work to get this legitimate classification. There is not a single person/dog owner here who has the slightest knowledge or desire to train their dogs even minimally. They are rude and disrespectful so let them pay and suffer. About all they know is I have an extremely well trained dog and i drive flashy noisy classic cars, and it's a very good idea to keep themselves and their rude dogs away from us.

 

[sarajones]

Unlike service dogs, emotional support dogs are forbidden in most public establishments. This means you can’t take your ESD to a cinema or a store, for example. If you want it to go with you, you’d better ask a store manager for permission. While doing so, try to be polite and explain that your dog is well-behaved. As a matter of law, animals are forbidden at the workplace, despite that emotional support animals help their owners reduce stress or anxiety same as lower blood pressure. If you want to travel with your ESD without hassle, here are some tips for you: Always check the policy of a place where you are going with your dog; Train your animal and teach it to behave in public; Look for some pet-friendly establishments; Always check your documents before going somewhere. Make sure your ESA letter is valid; Warn the airlines that you take your ESA with you. 17 Amazing Benefits of an ESA Letter You Did Not Know

 

[discofob]

Grey area. As long as you're not unreasonable.