5 Emotional Support Animals

[Krisitna L.]

 Two individuals wanted my advice regarding my point of view as a landlord. One person has 2 animals and the other had 3.  Because I am not familiar with their mental health, I did not question their need for so many animals. However, I did provide tips regarding the importance of keeping an apartment clean, being compassionate towards animals (space & resources), insurance, possible concerns regarding odors & flooring etc.  I also mentioned the importance of being honest when seeking a rental.  I instructed them to contact an agent in their state for additional advice.

However, this situation worries me.  How can we maintain a rental if others decide to justify 5, or more, animals? 

[Nathan Gesner]

If you intend to be successful as a landlord, you've got to educate yourself on the law. 

HUD issued new guidance in 2020 that helps alleviate some of these issues. There used to be no restrictions on what type of animal could serve as an emotional support animal. Now HUD has said they should be "common houses animals" which would eliminate barnyard animals like ducks or llamas.

hud also limited the individual to one service animal per disability. If the applicant suffers from depression, they can have one service animal prescribed for that disorder. If they also suffer from PTSD and anxiety, they could have another animal prescribed for that issue. They cannot have three service animals prescribed for one illness.

The unfortunate truth is, the system is widely abused and our ability to fight it is extremely limited. Rather than spend your time learning the law and trying to navigate it, I highly recommend you sign up with petscreening.com. They are experts on screening pets and service animals and the service is completely free to you, the landlord. You sign up for an account, you tell your applicants where to go to complete the application process, and once they are approved, you accept them. Pet screening can also help you determine a level of risk which can then help determine the amount of deposit or rent increase you charge for the animal.