It's estimated that sixty-one million people in the United States live with a disability. Disabilities can take many different forms, as can their treatment options.
One increasingly popular form of assistance for some disabilities is service and emotional support animals. Unfortunately, these animals can often cause some friction between disabled renters and landlords when no pet policies are in place.
So what's the difference between service, emotional support animals, and pets? And do landlords have to accept these animals into their rental properties?
In this landlord guide, we'll answer these questions and cover some property management tips so you can make sure that your rental property remains legally compliant with California law in the Mission Viejo area.
Service, Emotional Support Animals and Pets
The difference between emotional support and service animals vs pets is typically fairly obvious. The latter requires little to no paperwork to own, while the former is used to help people and requires documentation.
However, the distinction between service animals and emotional support animals can be a little unclear. Both sets of animals are designed to assist people with disabilities (as defined by California law) whether they're:
- Physical
- Mental
- Psychiatric
- Sensory
- Intellectual
The main difference is that service animals require a lot of training to perform their tasks. Guide animals for the deaf and blind, as well as animals for wheel-chair and seizure-prone individuals, would all fall into this category.
ESAs, on the other hand, don't require any training to provide emotional support animals benefits. However, they need to be properly registered with the corresponding paperwork.
Do Landlords Have to Accept These Animals?
Yes, landlords have to accept both service and emotional support animals. This is true regardless of pet policies within the building. That's because, according to state and federal law, denying them is the equivalent of discriminating based on disability.
While you don't need to accept pets, there are some reasons you might want to. For starters, it widely opens up your tenant pool. Plus, it can make it a lot easier to get tenants to renew their leases.
How a Property Management Company Can Help You
These companies are experts at managing service animals in rentals.
For starters, these professionals can verify any animals that come onto your property. If there are disputes within the community, they'll handle it.
Plus, they'll deal with any maintenance that might be required to do the pet. That way you can accommodate people with disabilities while still protecting your property. Stressing out over animals in your rental property is a clear sign you should hire a property management company.
Need Help With Your Mission Viejo Property? Contact PMI Mission Viejo
We hope this guide helped you learn the difference between service, emotional support animals, and pets. Here at PMI Mission Viejo, we know that this gray area is just one headache that landlords often have to deal with.
That's why we're dedicated to making your life easier. We do this with property management experience.
We've spent twenty years developing in the Mission Viejo area. So if you're ready for the expertise you need to navigate your rental property's animal policy, get in touch with us today.
