Hello 

I am a landlord, as many of you are.  I have strict no pet clauses.  The little girl coming to college (college students are looking younger and younger to me all the time) shows up in one of my student units with the Emotional Support Animal (ESA).  Yeah, sure little girl.  She produces a letter from a friend shrink saying she needs emotional support.  The dog stays, but my steam level is rising.

When this happens to you, get used to it.  At least she only had a dog and not a pig or donkey or peacock.  An ESA is a medical device, just like a CPAP.  Speaking to myself now – the sooner you get it through your head that this is a piece of medical equipment, you will avoid the steam level. 

The landlord does have the right to “verify” the written document the pet owner must provide.  If the landlord cannot verify the document, then no animal.  You can’t ask about the medical reason for the animal, but you can say “did you issue this document to the pet owner?”  The online services that issue ESA excuses don’t have any contact info, so you can’t verify – funny thing.

If the pet does any mess in the place, it is a health hazard and it’s gone.  Do the white glove UV light inspection.  Write your lease so you can do that monthly.  Then add any damage to the next month’s rent.  No pay the rent, no live there. 

If the animal is a nuisance, then it is out.  My little girl lost her pet, because every time she left the apartment it would bark until she came back.  Other people in the apartment building started to complain.  So the little girl got noticed that either the dog goes or both of you go.  She got rid of the dog – Highly Trained ESA – yeah, BS.

My YouTube video goes into a lot more detail, so check it out.  And just know that some medical equipment may now be able to wag its tail.