Prescription pets, it's getting out of hand now.

I am writing this because lately it seems that too many young people are getting so called prescription pets to get around the "No Pet" clause in many leases. I work for a property management company and we have a strict "no pet" policy in our apartments. Lately we are getting tenants coming in with a doctors notice that Fluffy or Duke has a prescription to be a service animal. Fluffy is a cat and duke is a Pug. One other tenant has a bird for cripes sake!... I guess the youth of today just cannot live without that pet from home. (I work in a college town and ALL of our tenants are college students -WSU) Since I am head of maintenance, I get a chance to go in most of our apartments for service calls so I actually see these pets and the people who "need" them. Not a damn thing wrong with these kids I can see. It would seem that it is becoming more popular too..see here..LINK
A blurb from that link..

Under the current statute, the language of which is extraordinarily broad, almost any person can allege that they are “handicapped,” as it covers any condition that affects a major life function (eating, sleeping, moving about, conducting daily activities). That definition encompasses diseases like depression, insomnia, anxiety, obesity–the list is extensive. And for the past decade or so doctors have been “prescribing” pets to sufferers of these diseases, claiming that they are service animals and that the association must therefore allow the pet as an accommodation (or else risk violating the FHAA).

So now that we have these "P-Pets, we can't charge a pet deposit and we have to let them have whatever Pet the doctor says they can have..We can charge for damage at the end of a rental year but, sometimes it's pretty damn bad.. I'll leave you with this paragraph...

“Dear Sir/Madame, Due to the fact that he is suffering from situational depression, it is imperative that John Doe be able to continue to live with his dog, Fido, who has been his constant companion over the past ten years.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email or telephone. Best regards, Dr. So-and-So.”

Now, readers who are practiced board members are probably rolling their eyes, because this is exactly the type of cursory, simplistic pet prescription that any family doctor can write for any person, making vague allegations of handicap. What exactly is “situational depression?”
Does it affect a major life function? Why does this man need a service animal? Can we really compare a person like this to a visually-impaired person who uses a guide dog? Is it fair to lump them into the same category?
How can a board respond to this type of request? All good questions. The first step our board took was to request more information.
When a disease is not visibly obvious, the board is allowed to request medical records sufficient to demonstrate that the disease exists, and that it does, in fact, impair a basic life function.
Additionally, the board may request detailed information on the doctor’s qualifications to make the diagnosis, and proof that the doctor is in fact the treating physician.
So this was our second step–ask our lawyer to contact Dr. So-and-So and ask him to provide additional information. We then received the following response.

“Dear Mr. Lawyer, In response to your letter, Mr. Doe is suffering from a depressive disorder.
Part of the symptom complex of the depressive disorder is insomnia: Mr. Doe has difficulty falling and staying asleep without his dog. When he is unable to get a good night’s rest, his cognitive functioning (directing attention, concentrating, and decision-making) also becomes impaired. His diagnosis is based on criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association. As a duly-licensed psychotherapist in Florida, my scope of practice includes diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and cognitive disorders. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email or telephone. Best Regards, Dr. So-and-So”

WSU: Pullman?

originally posted by: Eunuchorn
WSU: Pullman?

Yes, Pullman...

a reply to: baddmove

"Not a dam thing wrong with them that I can see"


Sorry but arsehole attitudes like that piss me off.

Just because you cant see a disability does not mean its not there!

There are plently of chronic conditions you wont see.

I have one and it pisses me off when people assume im healthy cause im not in a wheel chair or dont have limbs missing.

Never heard of this phenomenon until now, the idea seems stupid but its been its a known fact animals make people happier, but I agree no pets, should mean no pets.

Why not let everyone have pets, charge them and introduce charges to those with "p-pets"

Bi-monthly inspections where any damage results in them receiving eviction orders?

My landlord is a dick, but him being strict is what keeps the building in check, pets included.

You'll think of something dude

How often does this happen?

Once you've seen what pets can do for people with problems, from the mental to the physical, from depression to diabetes and seizures, and once you're seen the services they can and do perform, well, it kind of opens your eyes and your heart. As someone said already, you can't always "see" what's wrong with someone. But the pets can.

Just search "healing power of pets" on Youtube and watch a few videos. Then try to figure out some ways to address the issues you are having.

a reply to: baddmove

All I can say is: The note has to come from a Licensed Mental Health Physician... in other words a Psychologist or a Psychiatrist. The family doctor is not acceptable.

I manage an apt complex and we have one of those. It's a puppy.. a Lab puppy. It's size will violate our size limit.

All you can do (not sure what state) but in this state at the end of their lease period I can choose to not renew their lease. They have to move out or I can then evict them. Don't list a reason...just no renewal. If you list a reason you are in trouble. lol

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: baddmove

"Not a dam thing wrong with them that I can see"


Sorry but arsehole attitudes like that piss me off.

Just because you cant see a disability does not mean its not there!

There are plently of chronic conditions you wont see.

I have one and it pisses me off when people assume im healthy cause im not in a wheel chair or dont have limbs missing.

You are right, I can't see a lot of disabilities in these kids because they DON'T have any. My wife is disabled, so I have some knowledge of disabilities. These are party happy, Good timing college kids. i see them all the time and there is nothing wrong with them, they just want the pet from home to be with them..Period!

I am sorry if this offended you, maybe you should read the whole thread and the link...

a reply to: baddmove

I didn't see anything in your link addressing or explaining why you can't charge a "pet deposit." A deposit is a deposit. Nothing discriminatory about it if it applies to all. It's refundable as long as your pet doesn't destroy the place. That's only fair, imo.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

I am a dog owner and have been for decades. I know what you are talking about, however!....

People have gotten the idea they can get around the rules this way. This is not just simply some guy with issues needing a pet. This is becoming an epidemic and because of the Federal Laws, it is extremely simple if you want to pay money to a shyster Psych ...

I would not hesitate to say that 80% of those claiming service animals for emotional well being issues are just getting around the rules.

Case in point: Why bring a lab in? 8 week old pup. A smaller animal can perform the same duty, so to speak.

Reason? They used to have a lab a decade ago.....(which was not a service animal)

a reply to: bbracken677

You're right. I'm sure there's abuse. I'd bet that an eight-week old lab is for sure not a service animal yet. It takes months and months if not years of training. Don't the guidelines cover this sort of thing? As in addressing the shyster shrinks/docs? Or having to provide a certificate of some sort?

From what I've seen and read this is a rapidly trending up thing, so I was curious as to how often this really happens to the OP.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
How often does this happen?

Once you've seen what pets can do for people with problems, from the mental to the physical, from depression to diabetes and seizures, and once you're seen the services they can and do perform, well, it kind of opens your eyes and your heart. As someone said already, you can't always "see" what's wrong with someone. But the pets can.

Just search "healing power of pets" on Youtube and watch a few videos. Then try to figure out some ways to address the issues you are having.

I understand that, I am a pet owner too. But these kids are just doing it because they can, see, it's like a snub to our company that they can get away with this. I was in a unit the other day and there must have been 10 kids in there just smoking and drinking and partying away while the "cat" was laying on the counter. I turned them in for smoking in the unit and having a cat and now this kid has a prescription for said cat, BUT, it's an outdoor service cat.(you read that right)..So my point is , these kids are just doing this for spite or because they want to have it THEIR way, you know, like snubbing us for making a rule they don't want to follow..Now that 3-4 kids have done this, more will soon follow. it's a mentality they share here in Pullman.....

a reply to: baddmove

Yeah that does seem like abuse, and I'm not saying it's not an issue and I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, but the thing is, how do you know for sure? Is there no way for you to question the doc's "prescription" legally? Does the law really apply to any old pet or just to those trained and certified as service pets?

I can understand the animosity for being scammed, however through life I have rented places and paid the outrageous pet fees. I call them fees because you never get them back even if the place says it is a deposit. So in my opinion many places (maybe not yours) this is a case of the scammers getting scammed back.

a reply to: baddmove

Get over it. Unless you're a doctor you're not qualified to decide if someone needs a companion animal or pet. There are a lot of issues at hand, from PTSD to many many other conditions. If the DOCTOR writes the letter, Your job is to do YOUR job, not his.

a reply to: baddmove

I can see your point as MY mother once rented property .
ARE the kids vets?
I haven't seen any one without PTSD that got one of those it must be new.

originally posted by: AreUKiddingMe
a reply to: baddmove

Get over it. Unless you're a doctor you're not qualified to decide if someone needs a companion animal or pet. There are a lot of issues at hand, from PTSD to many many other conditions. If the DOCTOR writes the letter, Your job is to do YOUR job, not his.

Seems like we have doctors just writing these prescriptions for no reason at all.
I can assure you that the biggest P-Pet a tenant has as of today weighs no more than 5 pounds..What kind of service animal is that? Most of these kids are gone all day in class while the pet is at home, I know, I see them when I go in to fix things, and I go in to fix things A lot...

Good on em for sticking it to the man! You charge em for any damages anyways.

a reply to: baddmove

I don't question that these students are probably getting around the "no pet clause." However, considering how much landlords take advantage of charging outrageous rent to college students, I would consider this a wash. My daughter and 3 other girls rented out an apartment near their college campus which charged more than double the going rental rate for a three bedroom apartment. It was a very small apartment and on top of that, it was a dump!

a reply to: corvuscorrax

LOL like the deposit covers it all.....

Another madness by our Fed: Soon we will not be able to run background checks and refuse to rent to minorities with violent felonious records. Hiring? You will not be able to use a background check to reject an applicant...if that applicant is a minority.

It's called disparate impact. In other words, it does not matter that your rule is you will not rent to ANYONE with a felony on their record....does not matter that you apply the rules with no discrimination whatsoever. The fact that have have a rule excluding renting to someone with a record, by definition, discriminates against blacks.

The rule is not being enforced currently, but it likely will before long.