Posted on 12/23/2017 4:19:56 PM PST by billorites
Seventy-year-old Robert L. Brady has until Jan. 11 to give up Bane, the mixed-breed sidekick that his psychologist deemed as an emotional support dog.
His Conway-area condominium association won an arbitration order Dec. 12 requiring the Vietnam veteran to surrender the 4-year-old dog because it exceeds the community’s 35-pound weight limit for pets. Bane weighs about 41 pounds. The canine now faces an uncertain future even as assistance dogs have gained greater access to communities, restaurants and shops.
“The reason I don't want to lose him is that he keeps my mind off the war and everything. He's just a wonderful companion,” said the widower, who retired last year from working as a theme-park bus driver. “My life would be lost without a good companion and that's why I'm doing all I can to keep from having to get rid of him.” Bane Bane's fate is uncertain since he exceeds community weight limits but is deemed an emotional support dog. (Orlando Sentinel)
Brady’s attorney, Jonathan Paul, said the association discriminated by looking only at the dog’s weight without considering the disabled military veteran’s documented need for an emotional support animal. He said they are also seeking guidance under federal fair housing laws aimed at protecting housing rights of disabled residents.
Homeowner and condo associations are among those grappling with the boundary lines for emotional support dogs. Unlike service dogs trained to assist disabled people with daily tasks, emotional support animals don’t require training. They can be any species and require no certification to assist owners who have psychological disabilities, according to a June article published by the National Institutes of Health. In Florida, one association lawyer is seeking legislation to further clarify issues related to emotional support animals.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
My pigs have topped 100 lbs now. They are going to support my tummy once they reach 200 lbs. I suppose the HOA would not like them either. My chickens are under the weight limit though.
Godwin’s Law. Your argument is invalid. Good guys have rules too.
This isn’t about compassion. This is about intimidation and manipulation by people who think they’re above the rules.
Surely, his veterinarian has a record of the dog's weight.
So what if the weight was taken three years ago? ;)
I was in a condo association that had the same dog weight and amount limitations. But they also had a separate wordage for domestic farm animals and exotic animals. So in that one, the pigs and chickens were out and any snakes or crocodiles had to be left in the swamp. But I did have the right to decline to live there and not sign the declaration. I did, and never had a problem. Course I didn’t try to bring anything from central Florida into the condo, either.
rwood
We can agree to disagree. Being a huge animal lover/rescuer & the fact that he’s an elderly vet definitely colors my opinion. Rational, probably not.
Merry Christmas!
If any Freeper who knows this vet or his lawyer sees this, recommend they do a crowdsourcing such as GoFundMe campaign so the vet can move - with the remainder used to castigate these HOA and condo assoc morons in public media. The courts are not always the only way to win.
Yup
Even though I am empathetic to this vet’s plight, you make a lot of good points. Hence my comment above to take this out of the courts and pursue other avenues.
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