For community associations, few issues require more careful balancing of the individual rights of owners and the collective community interests than accommodation requests for emotional support animals (“ESA”). Under the...more
In general, as long as such restrictions are drafted clearly, the North Carolina Courts will uphold their enforcement; however, there are several factors community associations should consider when establishing and enforcing...more
A right to an emotional support animal has been a heavily discussed topic for years, especially for certain extreme requests involving the use of an exotic animal for emotional support purposes, or when there is a claim that...more
The Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), as well as the substantially similar Florida Fair Housing Act (FFHA), prohibits discrimination in housing based on a person’s disability. As “housing providers,” homeowners associations and...more
In the last few years, employers, education institutions, and places of public accommodation (e.g., airports, grocery stores, and hotels) have seen an increase in individuals who want to bring their Assistance Animal, Service...more
Imagine you are in charge of a facility that is open to the public—perhaps a church, a restaurant, a hardware store, or an apartment building. A woman enters with a dog on a leash. She says the dog is a service dog or...more
What is the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal? A service animal is a dog which has been trained to perform a specific task or to do work directly related to a person’s disability. Service...more
QUESTION: What are “Service Animals”, and to what extent: Must they be allowed on business premises? Can they be refused or removed from premises? ...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: California enacts new law, effective January 1, 2022, to crack down on fraudulent emotional support dogs....more