Living With Your Emotional Support Dog in a Housing With No Pet Policy

A growing number of people with mental health issues are seeking the companionship of an emotional support dog to overcome their issues. More people are getting to understand the therapeutic benefits these creatures can provide. Moreover, you are living in a rented apartment with no pet policy, you have certain added benefits under ESA laws.  

Can I live With My Emotional Support Dog in a Rented Apartment with no pet policy?

Yes, renting an apartment with stringent pet laws is possible for renters with ESAs. Federal fair housing laws say that an emotional support dog is an assistant dog, and is not considered an ordinary pet. Hence usual landlord policies are not applied here. And with your ESA letter, you can continue to live with your emotional support dog in an apartment with no pet policy.

Have a look into how you can qualify for these benefits.

Get an Emotional Support Dog Letter From a Therapist

The foremost thing you need to do here is to obtain a lawful certification from a medical practitioner. For this, you need to reach out to a licensed mental health practitioner, who can provide you a recommendation letter. Prepare the necessary paperwork to show to your existing landlord. 

An ESA letter will be the lawful document that states that you have a debilitating mental health condition, such as PTSD, or depression, etc. And can benefit from the companionship of an emotional support dog.

Inform Your Landlord About Your ESA

Once you have the written certification from your ESA doctor or a licensed mental health doctor, it’s time to approach your landlord.  Best to keep it simple and friendly. Most landlords are supportive of the cause and would be happy to comply with pet obligations. 

You can make this request verbally or in writing over email as well. 

Your landlord has all the rights to verify if your pet is an ESA. And you have no obligation to disclose your disability. It’s important that you clarify everything and work together to resolve any barriers subjected to living with your emotional support dog on their premises.

Make Sure ESA dog is Well Behaved

Another thing that you need to consider while living with your ESA in a rented apartment is, if your ESA is well behaved in social scenarios. In certain conditions under federal housing rules, a landlord can deny an ESA request.

For example, if the landlord considers that the ESA can be a direct threat to his health or his family’s safety. Or if the landlord thinks that an emotional support animal can cause damage to the personal property.

It’s true that ESAs do not need special training in order to provide therapeutic benefits to their human counterparts. Renting patients need to understand these terms as well before they make their ESA request to their landlords.

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