On the other side of the spectrum, I leased a 6 bedroom home I owned in a very marginal neighborhood to a husband and wife who rent rooms to mothers and children escaping from abusive relationships who have money but don’t want to stay at a homeless shelter but want counseling and companionship.  

this is not a service dog. its an emotion support dog. service dogs are trained to perform specific functions. emotional support dogs just exist for companionship, and while they serve medical purposes, are very often fake. you are not allowed to deny this tenant based solely on the animal, but you are allowed to ask for certain verifications. you also, only have to make "reasonable" accommodation to accomodate his "medical device" I imagine you have an argument to evict if the dog is attacking people.

I don't know if anyone on the forum can help with the companionship issues, but I might have an idea about how to handle her real estate.

That's not about companionship.

Trust, love, commitment, companionship... things people in their older years seem to appreciate a lot more. 

fileticket=lhyaA_hRAoE%3d&tabid=268Definitions of Service AnimalThe DOJ’s new ADA rules define“service animal†as any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.The new rules specifythat “theprovision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.†Thus, trained dogs are the only species of animals that may qualify as service animals under the ADA (there is a separate provision regarding miniature horses) and emotional support animals are expressly precluded from qualifying as service animals.Read the few pages carefully.And this, at http://www.state.ia.us/government/crc/docs/Factsheet%20Service%20Animals.pdfService and Emotional Support Animals under the FairHousing Act and the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the information carefully and get more information.A service dog can go just about anyplace open to the public.

I'm a big fan of dogs, although my main reason is for companionship... security is the perk.

One applicant said she had 3 pit bulls but they weren't aggressive, they were just for companionship.

D asked DF to move in order for DF to provide companionship to D.

Her companionship with her pets are much more important for which reason I am suggesting she take a dog in her residence".I have read a lot on the the Emotional Support Animal (ESA) and the HUD document that covers it.