Therapy Pet

[hlayton]

Pennsylvania

Hi,
I recently during the last six months have been hospitalized due to my chronic illness, Cystic Fibrosis. During this time I became severely depressed and had to go on all sorts of meds. My brothers dog had puppies and every day since I am unemployed waiting for disability to kick, I have gone to his house to visit the puppies and decided since they helped me with my depression to adopt one. My apartment complex has a no pets rule. Because of ADA and me being covered under it and also my doctor/therapist seeing improvement because of the puppy, do I have a right to keep the dog in my apartment and let my landlord know and provide a letter from my doctor?

 

[Ohiogal]

Pennsylvania

Hi,
I recently during the last six months have been hospitalized due to my chronic illness, Cystic Fibrosis. During this time I became severely depressed and had to go on all sorts of meds. My brothers dog had puppies and every day since I am unemployed waiting for disability to kick, I have gone to his house to visit the puppies and decided since they helped me with my depression to adopt one. My apartment complex has a no pets rule. Because of ADA and me being covered under it and also my doctor/therapist seeing improvement because of the puppy, do I have a right to keep the dog in my apartment and let my landlord know and provide a letter from my doctor?

Nope. Wanting a dog does not make said dog a therapy dog. Is the dog a certified, trained therapy dog?

 

[ecmst12]

A dog doesn't have to be certified or trained to be a therapy dog. OP just needs to get a certificate from her doctor verifying her need for a companion animal.

But you want to be careful of bringing a puppy into a rental. Although your LL may have to allow you the reasonable accomodation of owning the dog, YOU are still going to have to pay for any damage the dog does. Puppies have accidents and like to scratch and chew on things. It could end up being very expensive for you later.

 

[HomeGuru]

Pennsylvania

Hi,
I recently during the last six months have been hospitalized due to my chronic illness, Cystic Fibrosis. During this time I became severely depressed and had to go on all sorts of meds. My brothers dog had puppies and every day since I am unemployed waiting for disability to kick, I have gone to his house to visit the puppies and decided since they helped me with my depression to adopt one. My apartment complex has a no pets rule. Because of ADA and me being covered under it and also my doctor/therapist seeing improvement because of the puppy, do I have a right to keep the dog in my apartment and let my landlord know and provide a letter from my doctor?

**A: do you have a prescription from your MD for the dog? If no then the answer is no.