Pardon Me, Is That a Pig?
Health professionals have known for years the benefit of pet ownership on the patients they treat. Everything from lowering blood pressure, to helping the hearing impaired has been accomplished by pets. They have become a valid tool in helping humans maintain a near normal lifestyle whether paralyzed by fear or an injured spinal cord.
And, it is more common to find that health professionals are prescribing all kinds of companion animals to provide emotional support in many types of situations. Dogs, cats, monkeys, pigs and even mini horses are now being prescribed to adults and children alike to help them overcome the psychological pressures of life in our society. It is another fact that these animals have the legal rights of guide dogs in that they are protected by federal fair-housing laws.
The Fair Housing Act requires that landlords make reasonable accommodations for their tenants’ health needs which includes honoring requests for housing pets prescribed to them. Even if the apartment or house has a strict no pet clause, the owner and/or manager can be sued and even face jail time if the request is not honored. All that is necessary is a letter from the prescribing doctor stating the need for the pet.
By the way, this situation is causing a huge problem for the airlines when asked to accommodate a pig or mini horse in their cabins so their owners can fly alongside their companion animal. Oh well, I think I would rather sit next to a well behaved mini horse than have a spoiled child kick the back of my seat all the way across the country. At the least, I could pet it for a while and maybe my blood pressure would return to a pre: “your- flight- was -delayed,- and now- you- are- going -to- miss -your- connection” level. Or not. I will let you know when it happens to me……..
August 1st, 2007 at 10:40 am
I was a concert at Pine Knob and the kid behind me had his dog with him. It was for a large crowd anxiety he had. The dog was very well behaved and the kid had a great time at the concert. I will admit I was jealous because I know Buster and Scrappy would much rather be at a concert with me than at home alone. But that’s okay I don’t need any more anxiety than I already have. LOL
I would much rather sit next to any animal on a plane than pretty much most of the humans I’ve had to sit next to!
August 1st, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I seem to get the crying baby no matter where I sit, or what time my flight is…..must be karma!