Fake Service Dog

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 08-12-2016, 05:48 PM
korenakorena korenakorena is offline
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Carrollton, Ohio
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Fake Service Dog

Hello. Got a tenant who has a "service dog", according to him. Dog has vest. No tag, no paperwork. Just tenants word. Had to go to house to work in garage 3 days in a row. Every day, service dog was in house alone, looking out window. Tenant at work. How does service dog do its job if not with handler? Have had several other incidents & knew tenants were untruthful. Just fair warning landlords. Be aware of this Fake. I'm counting the months down. It's a shame for the real service animals & their handlers.
  #2  
Old 08-12-2016, 05:53 PM
RickeyD's Avatar
RickeyD RickeyD is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,410
Thanks: 0
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by korenakorena View Post
Hello. Got a tenant who has a "service dog", according to him. Dog has vest. No tag, no paperwork. Just tenants word. Had to go to house to work in garage 3 days in a row. Every day, service dog was in house alone, looking out window. Tenant at work. How does service dog do its job if not with handler? Have had several other incidents & knew tenants were untruthful. Just fair warning landlords. Be aware of this Fake. I'm counting the months down. It's a shame for the real service animals & their handlers.
A copy and paste from my rental agreement. And yes, it is legal.

6. RESTRICTIONS: No pets or animals of any kind which includes but not limited to service or comfort animals. Two person occupancy only, No smoking anywhere on the property, No barbeque cooking on the lanai. Renters who violate this policy will forfeit their security deposit and will be told to leave.
  #3  
Old 08-12-2016, 08:10 PM
korenakorena korenakorena is offline
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Carrollton, Ohio
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

yes, I'm going to use this
Thank You!
  #4  
Old 08-12-2016, 10:31 PM
villagerjack villagerjack is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,361
Thanks: 115
Thanked 133 Times in 62 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by korenakorena View Post
yes, I'm going to use this
Thank You!
Check with your attorney first. Sounds like it could be discriminatory.
  #5  
Old 08-13-2016, 07:06 AM
karostay's Avatar
karostay karostay is offline
Sage
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Conn/Maine /
Posts: 2,781
Thanks: 128
Thanked 1,343 Times in 519 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RickeyD View Post
A copy and paste from my rental agreement. And yes, it is legal.

6. RESTRICTIONS: No pets or animals of any kind which includes but not limited to service or comfort animals. Two person occupancy only, No smoking anywhere on the property, No barbeque cooking on the lanai. Renters who violate this policy will forfeit their security deposit and will be told to leave.

Told to leave in your agreement sounds great
Getting them to leave is another is another issue.
How do you plan on getting them to leave ?

I'm 100% onboard service animal exemptions are being exploited . There is no way of enforcing the validity of the animals status.
__________________
Don't take life Too Serious ..It isn't permanent
  #6  
Old 08-13-2016, 07:17 AM
ColdNoMore ColdNoMore is offline
Sage
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Between 466 & 466A
Posts: 10,509
Thanks: 82
Thanked 1,507 Times in 677 Posts
Default

Service animal fraud is definitely a problem.

Service Animal Scams: A Growing Problem | Psychology Today


Quote:
I also discovered a host of dubious service and emotional support animal "registries." For example, the United States Dog Registry will certify any dog as a “service dog” or a "therapy dog" for $58, and an outfit called ESA of America will happily certify your pet rat, hamster, or iguana as an “emotional support animal.” (Sample ESA customer testimonial–“I have now taken 3 flights with my dog, and the peace of mind of being able to just pack up and go anywhere I want with him is the greatest thing ever.")
Stopping it however (and getting rid of tenants who abuse it) is a bit tougher, given the myriad of regulations governing them.

From link above.
Quote:
Three different sets of federal statues apply to the rights of individuals with disabilities to be accompanied by animals: the American’s with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Air Carrier Access Act. This division of responsibility has resulted in a bewildering array of conflicting and confusing regulations.
Good luck to the OP, because sadly (and unfairly)...you're gonna need it.
  #7  
Old 08-13-2016, 07:23 AM
karostay's Avatar
karostay karostay is offline
Sage
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Conn/Maine /
Posts: 2,781
Thanks: 128
Thanked 1,343 Times in 519 Posts
Default

Federal law this is all you can ask

When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.

Hope the abuser has a conscience
Which I highly doubt
__________________
Don't take life Too Serious ..It isn't permanent
  #8  
Old 08-13-2016, 08:18 AM
rcook715 rcook715 is offline
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 53
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Service Animals | Disability Rights Florida


Service Animal
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 Regulations define a service animal as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition." C.F.R. § 35.104 and § 36.104 (2010).
If they meet this definition, dogs are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.
Work and Tasks
According to the § 35.104 and § 36.104 (2010), examples of work and tasks performed by service animals include, but are not limited to:
• guiding people who are blind or have low vision
• alerting people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• providing non-violent protection or rescue work
• pulling a wheelchair
• assisting an individual during a seizure
• alerting individuals to the presence of allergens
• retrieving items
• providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities
• helping persons with psychiatric or neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors
• reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, or
• calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack.
  #9  
Old 08-13-2016, 09:08 AM
korenakorena korenakorena is offline
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Carrollton, Ohio
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Thanks for all the information & help. Tenant claims service dog is to warn him of a seizure coming on. However, dog is not with him when he goes to work. (I live several states away & happened to be in TV for 2 weeks). Best part is I paid $967 to have them evicted when they brought in dog #2. That's when I discovered a servic dog is not a pet, since I allow 1 pet, the 2nd dog was not in violation! How am I going to get them out? Lease expires in a few months, why can't I give 30 day eviction prior to last month of lease for a "possible" new tenant. Live & Learn, I guess.
  #10  
Old 08-13-2016, 10:01 AM
Sable99's Avatar
Sable99 Sable99 is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,305
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 2 Posts
Default

You might have a problem evicting your tenant. This is what happened to friends of mine in Virginia.

My friends bought a larger condo in the same building. Since the market was down at that time, they decided to rent their old condo to a teacher. The teacher was only in the condo a couple of months when she broke her leg and stopped paying rent. Even though she had a lease, they couldn't evict her because she claimed she had a disability. The teacher stayed at their condo another two years without paying rent. They had to gut their condo by the time she finally moved out. Luckily, by that time, the market turned around and they were able to sell the condo. If I remember right, it was a Federal law that prohibited them from evicting her. In northern Virginia, people liked to rent to people in the military because they knew they would get their rent money!

I rent out my home in The Villages and I think about Hugh and Regina's story every time I get a new tenant!
__________________
Britton and Adrian, Michigan
Alexandria and Falls Church, Virginia
Back to Adrian and someday, our home in The Village of Charlotte
  #11  
Old 08-13-2016, 10:11 AM
Fraugoofy Fraugoofy is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,540
Thanks: 1
Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by korenakorena View Post
Thanks for all the information & help. Tenant claims service dog is to warn him of a seizure coming on. However, dog is not with him when he goes to work. (I live several states away & happened to be in TV for 2 weeks). Best part is I paid $967 to have them evicted when they brought in dog #2. That's when I discovered a servic dog is not a pet, since I allow 1 pet, the 2nd dog was not in violation! How am I going to get them out? Lease expires in a few months, why can't I give 30 day eviction prior to last month of lease for a "possible" new tenant. Live & Learn, I guess.
If you are willing to wait until the lease expires, follow the terms agreed to in the current lease and non-renew the lease if you have that written in. I am sorry you have to go through this.

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk
  #12  
Old 08-13-2016, 01:36 PM
RickeyD's Avatar
RickeyD RickeyD is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,410
Thanks: 0
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by villagerjack View Post
Check with your attorney first. Sounds like it could be discriminatory.


I did and it isn't.
  #13  
Old 08-13-2016, 01:38 PM
RickeyD's Avatar
RickeyD RickeyD is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,410
Thanks: 0
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by karostay View Post
Told to leave in your agreement sounds great

Getting them to leave is another is another issue.

How do you plan on getting them to leave ?



I'm 100% onboard service animal exemptions are being exploited . There is no way of enforcing the validity of the animals status.


If you knew me you wouldn't ask.
  #14  
Old 08-13-2016, 02:12 PM
rubicon rubicon is offline
Email Reported As Spam
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13,694
Thanks: 0
Thanked 13 Times in 11 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by korenakorena View Post
Hello. Got a tenant who has a "service dog", according to him. Dog has vest. No tag, no paperwork. Just tenants word. Had to go to house to work in garage 3 days in a row. Every day, service dog was in house alone, looking out window. Tenant at work. How does service dog do its job if not with handler? Have had several other incidents & knew tenants were untruthful. Just fair warning landlords. Be aware of this Fake. I'm counting the months down. It's a shame for the real service animals & their handlers.
Even a dog has a right to a vacation for rest and relaxation. Geez
  #15  
Old 08-13-2016, 08:27 PM
rjm1cc's Avatar
rjm1cc rjm1cc is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,366
Thanks: 237
Thanked 521 Times in 241 Posts
Default

Consider charging a vert high pet fee if you do not want pets.
Closed Thread

Tags
dog, service, tenants, fake, house

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:44 AM.