PET OR ASSISTANCE ANIMAL? WHO VERIFIES?

The secretary of HUD has instructed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate websites that sell assistance animal verifications online.  Many landlords have asserted that tenants are purchasing these certificates online in order to avoid paying pet deposits, rent and/or fees and that the services selling the certificates don’t adequately verify that there is a legitimate need. Secretary Carson stated that providers who sell assistance certificates online must have “personal knowledge of the individual’s disability-related need for the animal.” HUD describes “personal knowledge” as “knowledge of the type that health care providers ordinarily use for diagnosis and treatment,” as contrasted with simply self-selecting from an online questionnaire and assessment tool.  HUD also suggested that tenants with legitimate need for reasonable accommodation for a service animal are being taken advantage of by these services.  Hopefully the FTC will act against those who do a disservice to legitimately disabled Americans who need a service or emotional support animal while preventing “click and pay” assistance animal verifications.

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