Hi Mark, welcome!

First, I recommend not posting your full name on this site, as it's now forever searchable on the Internet. In this crazy litigious age, one never knows who will find a post some day and use it against you. Unless this is your pseudonym... Most of us use handles/nicknames.

Second, this topic is very popular and gets discussed at least once a week. I recommend using the "Search" tool at the top of the page. Try "service animal" and "ESA" and you should find abundant coverage for what you're asking.

This area is complicated because many tenants don't know what they're asking for in this area: ESAs, service animals, therapy animals are all are different and have their own sets of rules and regs. Time to get educated, and the wealth of knowledge here will help. Also, I recommend searching the Fair Housing and ADA laws so you get the answer straight from the source. Some of the folks here, while very well-meaning, have opinions on the topic sometimes presented as facts. I'm guilty of this occasionally too, try as I might to be strictly objective.

The quick 'n dirty answer is: It depends on what's really going on in your situation, but generally all they need is a letter from a medical professional (note: I did not say Doctor or nurse). There are also issues around what kinds of questions you are allowed to ask, insurance, etc. In general, you want to be very careful, as this area of law is not clearly defined yet, and it's expensive to help define it in court.

Happy researching!

Hi Mark, welcome!

Search this site for info. We discuss it regularly.

If the dog is a Service Dog, you need to request documentation from the medical provider that the person in question is a person with a disability and requires the dog to mitigate the disability.

If the dog is through one of the large non-profit training orgs, such as Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for the Deaf, Diabetics Alert Dogs, etc, it is extra easy and they may offer proof of training. Those organizations already required lots of proof of disability and taught the dogs good behavior.

It is perfectly legal to train your own SD or to hire a private trainer. I hired a private trainer for mine. Documentation regarding the actual dog may be offered, but can not be required.

There is no standard verification.

For the tenant wanting, are they looking for a trained service dog or an emotional support animal? There is a difference.

No matter what, you can require any vaccinations that your city and state require. You can also require that the dog not disturb the other residents, and that the dog’s partner pick up after the dog every single time it eliminates.

One of my tenant went to a special online site and purchased a doctors note. My tenant has never seen that doctor. How do I know? Because you have to belong to the State Employee Medical Plan to visit this doctor, professionally. But the doctor has a web page where anyone, with $175, can get a doctors note from her.

I rejected my tenants doctors note and gave her a 5 day notice to perform or quit. I wanted the following:

A detailed note from my tenants actual doctor. The dogs veterinarian records that the dog had it's required vaccination. Proof of my tenants renter's insurance with a dog provision, holding the landlord harmless in case of a dog attack or bite. A valid dog license. Proof the dog isn't vicious and will go through abidance training.

My tenant responded that her only requirement to have a comfort or service dog is a doctors note. I responded by telling her that many animal owners are irresponsible and fail to act to protect the public and will only do so after someone has been injured. As the owner I have a responsibility to protect my other tenants, guest and other pets.

Robert was wrong in this situation he describes. With a SD, you can require that the dog have any CITY and STATE mandated vaccines, but you can't require the obedience training, nor can you say that the dog is too big and dangerous.

Now, if the dog is misbehaving, jumping on people, etc, you can get statements, video, complaints from people, then give a cure or quit notice, but you can't decide "That dog is too big" and tell the PWD (Person With Disability) that they can't have that dog.

You also cannot require a detailed note from the PWD's doctor. You can require that the medical provider (note this term, as it is a generic one) write a letter, on letterhead for the practice, including the provider's license number(s) stating that the individual in question has a disability and requires the dog to mitigate the disability. If the disability is mental health related, you can ask that the letter state that the person has a disability as diagnosed in the DSM IV or DSM V, and requires the dog to mitigate the disability. You can't require detailed medical information. You CAN require a new letter annually.

There is NO SUCH THING as official service dog licensing in the US at the present time. There are organizations that certify service dogs, some of them I listed earlier (CCI, Dogs for the Deaf, DAD, etc).