I submitted a bogus ESA letter request to Certapet. I answered each question as if I was trying not to qualify for an ESA letter. Guess what, I qualified. That was about six months ago.

Today I get solicited with their Memorial Day Sale/discount so I can get:

So besides normal screening and rejection, what's the legal way to refuse such nonsense?

I disqualified a prospect yesterday who had a pit bull mix and later they contacted me from a different number with a certified service dog. They told me that I already told them no to the dog. I asked the breed and they said pit bull mix. I said, "So it's a certified pit bull service dog?"

You should probably stop asking it is a "certified" Service Dog since it has been stated here many times that there is no official "certification."

That being said, there are certainly Pit bull mix Service Animals out there -- that are properly trained to be real Service Animals. Just to note it.

To answer your question: I see no good/legal way to "refuse such nonsense" though. What we need is an amendment to the law that specifies the disabled person has had an IN-PERSON visit with the healthcare professional within the last X (probably 12) months. That would be a good first step to stopping this online stuff. But, many of the online places now actually DO refer them to a local healthcare professional. So, even that doesn't really solve this problem. :(

- John...

NE of PA,

Credit report rejection.

in home visit rejection.

Turn over every stone that you can find to reject these people hiding under the ESA factor. Just to get the dog in the house PLUS a dog on the top 20 insurance no no dogs.

NE just for laughs and Giggles call your insurance company ask them if you have a prospective tenant with a pit bull mix what will happen too your insurance. THEN asked what if they say the dog is a ESA dog will you still cancel my insurance snd see what the insurance company says.

@ Tom--I have spoken to my Insurance agent about this very thing.

I have a letter, on letterhead from the Agent, identifying 10 breeds of dogs that could cause a cancellation of my property insurance. What I found interesting was that not just the policy for that property would be at risk, but all properties with that specific company would be cancelled.

However, when I asked about ESA-- the agent just shook their head, IDK.

Shaun: It has already been made clear by HUD that a blanket letter from an insurance company of specific breeds is NOT enough to allow you to deny an ESA based on the breed without putting yourself at risk.

You would need a specific letter from the insurance company about THAT ANIMAL that states that they will cancel your policy or raise the cost significantly if you allow that ESA on your property.

- John...