Yes, really, a Fl man rescued a squirrel during the hurricane and now the condo assoc wants it gone. He is claiming it is an emotional support animal, he can't imagine being without it. Unbelievable.

Vee:

1. The animal does not need to assist medicinally.

2. Linda said it was in Florida, not NY. She's just reporting something in the world, not talking about a personal experience.

This guy will likely have no problem at all getting a healthcare professional to declare this an ESA. It'll be easy to argue PTSD from the hurrican and that this animal helps him live a normal life after that incident.

Heck, I'd rather have this as an ESA than certain dangerous dog breeds... I got no issue with squirrels. :)

- John...

wow........thats NUTS!

Clearwater Beach man facing eviction over emotional support squirrel

wfla com

1 min read

CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — A Clearwater Beach resident is fighting to keep his emotional support squirrel that lives with him at Island Walk Condominiums.

Ryan Boylan and Brutis are inseparable.

He rescued her last year after Hurricane Matthew.

“Ever since then I mean, oh my God, I can’t imagine not being around her,” said Boylan.

But he could lose her.

Property management discovered Brutis back in April when she was chased up a tree by a dog.

According to a complaint filed by the condo association to Boylan and the condo owner, exotic animals are not allowed. He never told the board about the animal.

He was sent a notice last month to give up the squirrel or be evicted.

“I was very sad that he had to basically push every single limitation that he could to try and get me out because of Brutis,” said Boylan.

In the complaint, attorneys state Boylan never submitted paperwork that Brutis was an emotional support animal until this past summer.

His doctor’s note was written in July.

Attorneys also state Boylan is residing in the unit as a tenant without having applied for and/or obtained approval from the association.

Boylan contacted the Office of Human Rights, claiming discrimination and they sent a letter to the association on his behalf, stating the Fair Housing Act, protecting emotional support animals.

“I don’t know if he’s discriminated against. I’m sure it’s like any emotional support dog, people ask questions,” she said.

Condo officials say it’s a liability if something happens.

“It’s just like with any animal, you can have the nicest dog and they could bite somebody, it’s no guarantee,” said Arfa.

She feels the squirrel should be free.

“As I said if it was a gerbil or something that your grandkid had hiding under the bed, I’m sure that would be fine, but a squirrel is a wild animal,” she said.

A note from Boylan’s doctors states he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a car accident.

Boylan registered Brutis under the website RegisterMyServiceAnimal.com

I heard on the radio that a doctor actually DID write it up as an ESA. I want to know if that doctor wants a wild rodent that loves to chew living in his/her house. Of course, the tenant is going to fight it all the way and be cheered on by the media and public sentiment. It should be interesting to see how it works out - it could either help or hurt all landlords.

I had a tenant with a pet squirrel. It lived outside, but would come to the window (and probably inside) to get food from my tenant. She ended up being evicted and her primary concern about moving out was the squirrel.

A woman nearby found two baby squirrels and tried to give them to a wildlife rehabber. He told her he could take them if they were eating on their own so she fed them with a bottle. But a bad neighbor turned her into the wildlife authorities and she could get jail time for doing that.

WOW thats NUTS!!!

Busy, busy, busy: You are incorrect for the state that we're discussing here (Florida). In Florida, it is perfectly legal to have a squirrel. No permit or license is required.

Heck, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission even gives guidelines on appropriate cage dimensions and such for squirrels.

It is amazing how people here make all kinds of legal (illegal) assumptions about situations when it comes to "protected classes" and ESAs and such. I think a lot of landlords here are barely walking the edge of a discrimination lawsuit and just don't know it yet.

- John...

Vee: No proof of vaccination can be required for an ESA unless local ordinance requires it for ALL such animals in their area. In other words, if Florida doesn't require squirrels to be see a vet and be vaccinated, then the landlord can't require it either.

- John...

Correct. Once again much of the talk/advice here is from people that don't know what they are talking about from a legal perspective and are just waiting for a discrimination lawsuit. :(

- John...

SQUIRREL!?!?!

(Immediately drops everything and looks around)

We are living part time in Toronto and have pretty tame black squirrels that I see when I walk the dogs. They will take peanuts from my hand.

I've got coat pockets filled with peanuts and bird seed.

Our vet said that squirrels rarely get rabies, so I looked it up, add some w's if you want.:

cdc.gov/rabies/pets/index.html

Signed,

the -fplks that DO need ESA's are finally seeing that the abusers of the status are making them look silly and encouraging declinations for othe rreasons