Should service dogs be exempt from leases stating "no pets allowed"?

6 Comments

  • Rose - 9 years ago

    Yes they should. Especially if they have been trained for a specific duty, such as Guide Dogs, Hearing Impaired, Seizures,, Diabetics. Also it is the Federal for Working Dogs. Not it not the Federal for Companion or Therapy Dogs. If a landlord refuses a service animal they could be sued or fined.

  • Tracy - 10 years ago

    I believe "true" service dogs should be exempt. This means seeing eye dogs and hearing dogs. Too often I see therapy dogs termed as service dogs. I do not believe these are service dogs to be considered exempt.

  • Mark - 10 years ago

    Owner may be alergic to dogs, cats, etc,?? I love pets but a dog still smells like a dog and they shed hair and chew on rugs or other things. I have a well behaved dog but could understand why some people would not want him (dog) around. "NO PETS" means no pets.

  • Jim - 10 years ago

    It's the landlord's right to decide, Not mine.

  • Jedzia - 10 years ago

    A Service Dog is NOT a pet. Service Dogs are extensively trained, often from birth, to behave impeccably in any situation/environment they might encounter - they cannot do their jobs otherwise. They should be completely unreactive to the usual things that excite dogs (people, other dogs, loud noises, machinery, etc.). They can never show aggression towards people or other dogs. The services they can be trained to provide are wide-ranging and depend on the person's individual needs but can include opening/closing doors, turning lights on/off, retrieving objects, providing stability, helping a person sit or stand, even taking off socks. Unfortunately, some ordinary pet owners abuse the Service Dog designation (with great disrepect of those people who really need them) because they want to have their pets with them all the time. It is improper to ask what service(s) a trained Service Dog provides for its owner (invasion of personal privacy), but a landlord can and should require documentation of the dog's certification and training program. A properly trained Service Dog should never exhibit any behaviors that would be problematic for a landlord but a landlord should still be allowed to consider whether future tenants with allergies might be impacted. Individual landlords can weigh which group of potential tenants they want to cater to: responsible dog owners or people with pet allergies.

  • gerald Cummings - 10 years ago

    what part of "no pets" isn't clear?

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