Dr's note --> City office --> Landlord permits pets? (San Francisco: to rent, tenants)

[lisaonthemove]

Weird thread name, I know, but I couldn't figure out how to get it across!
I am moving to SF from Monterey in the next few weeks, as soon as I get an apt. I've been told that if your Dr writes you a note saying your cat/dog is necessary for your psychological health, the City will register your pets and your landlord must accept them (technically as service/therapeutic animals, as I understand it). Can't find anything on the SF website/Google though. Thoughts, anyone?
Thanks.
Lisa

[dclamb3]

Originally Posted by lisaonthemove

Weird thread name, I know, but I couldn't figure out how to get it across!
I am moving to SF from Monterey in the next few weeks, as soon as I get an apt. I've been told that if your Dr writes you a note saying your cat/dog is necessary for your psychological health, the City will register your pets and your landlord must accept them (technically as service/therapeutic animals, as I understand it). Can't find anything on the SF website/Google though. Thoughts, anyone?
Thanks.
Lisa

Not sure it's of much help, but my mother was issued a service-animal cat and she was legally allowed to take it anywhere a person could take a seeing eye dog. She did have a doctor's note. She doesn't live in CA, but she traveled extensively with the service-issued cat, typically without trouble.

[Chrysopylae]

This is a topic that is still hotly debated behind closed doors, but this link may help.
'Assistance dog' designation opens doors for pooches / With state's blessing, S.F. OKs hundreds of therapeutic pets - SFGate

The closed-door debates run along these lines:
The latest S.F. salvos in tenant-landlord wars

Vicious Dogs and Other Shaggy Tenants / Why landlords just say no | Page 2 of 2

The last I heard was a proposal to increase the deposit for pet owners as a palliative, but as with so many other things before the Boards of Supervisors, it is tied up in committee.

[lisaonthemove]

Originally Posted by dclamb3

Not sure it's of much help, but my mother was issued a service-animal cat and she was legally allowed to take it anywhere a person could take a seeing eye dog. She did have a doctor's note. She doesn't live in CA, but she traveled extensively with the service-issued cat, typically without trouble.

Well that is helpful, because I am trying to rent with cats, and Animal Control (who are responsible for registering dogs as therapeutic companions) said cats are totally excluded from this possibility. Getting any dog registered is apparently a breeze.

Do you have any idea of what authority certified/registered the cat? Or did she just travel with the Dr's note?
thanks
Lisa

[mayorhaggar]

Good luck. Landlords in SF especially are nazis when it comes to pets.

[dclamb3]

Originally Posted by lisaonthemove

Well that is helpful, because I am trying to rent with cats, and Animal Control (who are responsible for registering dogs as therapeutic companions) said cats are totally excluded from this possibility. Getting any dog registered is apparently a breeze.

Do you have any idea of what authority certified/registered the cat? Or did she just travel with the Dr's note?
thanks
Lisa

Good question. I'm not sure who she registered the cat with but I'll certainly ask. Until I'm able to get an answer from her, I did find this. Not sure how true it is, but it's worth a read:
How can you certify a cat as a service animal for emotional support? - Yahoo! Answers

Yes, I know she did travel with the doctor's note. I recall her taking the cat on travel busses when they originally told her she can't. Once she showed the doctor's note, she was fine. Same with housing. She is actually on mental disability (which is extremely hard to prove and get, so that gives you some gauge of her situation). Her doctor insisted she get a cat as part of her treatment, and she was required to care for it daily (i.e. she couldn't leave it behind when she traveled to see family for the holidays, etc).

At the time, she lived in CO, but now she lives in KS. Since housing isn't in such high demand in Denver as it is in San Francisco, perhaps it was easier for her there, I'm not sure.

I'll def. ask her how she went about it when I speak to her, though.

[lisaonthemove]

I'd love to hear what she says.

Originally Posted by dclamb3

Good question. I'm not sure who she registered the cat with but I'll certainly ask. Until I'm able to get an answer from her, I did find this. Not sure how true it is, but it's worth a read:
How can you certify a cat as a service animal for emotional support? - Yahoo! Answers

Yes, I know she did travel with the doctor's note. I recall her taking the cat on travel busses when they originally told her she can't. Once she showed the doctor's note, she was fine. Same with housing. She is actually on mental disability (which is extremely hard to prove and get, so that gives you some gauge of her situation). Her doctor insisted she get a cat as part of her treatment, and she was required to care for it daily (i.e. she couldn't leave it behind when she traveled to see family for the holidays, etc).

At the time, she lived in CO, but now she lives in KS. Since housing isn't in such high demand in Denver as it is in San Francisco, perhaps it was easier for her there, I'm not sure.

I'll def. ask her how she went about it when I speak to her, though.

[legal_eagle]

So you're a certified crazy cat lady?

[zitsky]

Originally Posted by lisaonthemove

Well that is helpful, because I am trying to rent with cats, and Animal Control (who are responsible for registering dogs as therapeutic companions) said cats are totally excluded from this possibility. Getting any dog registered is apparently a breeze.

Do you have any idea of what authority certified/registered the cat? Or did she just travel with the Dr's note?
thanks
Lisa

It doesn't sound like these are really therapy cats. It sounds like you are trying to rent in a place that doesn't accept cats and you're trying to find a way in. Am I wrong?

[rkwalton]

How did I miss this?

Yes, if your pet is a service animal your landlord has to accept it, period. I'm in line for a service animal myself.

Cats are not known for being easy to train though, so I don't think that's going to cut it. Since the animal I'll get eventually is for a different reason, I can't say much more as I've not researched ESAs. I found a page on FB that might help with your questions: Emotional Support Animal.

Good luck.