Hi, so I have a 5 yr old German Shepherd that is a Service/Assistance Dog to my 3 yr old disabled son. He's a great dog BUT he's starting to become a bit crabby and lazy after training and working for the past 5 yrs! I'm looking to start training a "replacement" dog so I am able to retire the current one I have. Now, I know quite a bit about The Fair Housing Act and HUD, but now where can I find information/laws on training an Assistance Dog! By this I mean, when I request this accommodation from my landlord (to obtain and keep a PUPPY in training at my apartment), can he deny my request due to the puppy's age? Most pet buildings require an animal be over 1 year of age, but I'm in a NO PET building, already with an APPROVED accommodation for my current dog in my apartment! And I know under the FHA that landlords can NOT apply the same rules to an Assistance Dog, that they do a pet. But does the FHA allow ANY age dog? Does the dog need to be a minimum age to be allowed in an apartment? I know the FHA does NOT require an Assistance Dog to have ANY training to be protected under this law, so I would assume that my landlord can not demand that the dog (puppy) in training to be a certain! When I requested my current dog to be allowed on the property, my landlord made me sign a contract that he is at least 1 yr of age...At that time, for that dog, he was over 1... But when requesting an accommodation to get a replacement dog to train, CAN MY LANDLORD DENY MY REQUEST IF THE PUPPY IS UNDER THE AGE OF 1??
**Quick Note: I, myself, training my current assistance dog.. I will be training the next dog I obtain! I'm not one of those scammers u hear about that abuse this law! My child DOES benefit from his dog and his life has greatly improved with the help of this animal.
The contract I sign was specific to this dog, the one I currently have and I only signed it becuz he was already over the age of 1, so it didn't matter. A new contract would be made/signed if I were to get a different one! I just don't know if he can demand that the dog be at least 1 yr old!