Serious question: Is it morally wrong to obtain an ESA license while living in a rental with a no pet policy, despite there being a legitimate need for it?
Hello - since service animals and ESAs often get grouped together, I hope my question is welcome here.
My partner and I live in a rental house (duplex) with a no pet policy, however we have been talking extensively about getting a dog in early 2027.
The owner of the home works through a property manager. During our last inspection, we asked if it would be possible to get a pet and he was the one to suggest we get an ESA license rather than going through the owner.
Before anyone passes judgement, my partner does have a legitimate need for an ESA. He struggles with severe anxiety and depression - in the past he had been involuntary sent to a psychiatric hospital. We have talked about how having a dog would be a major mental health boost, for the both of us. We may even consider training it as a service animal to help with my partners anxiety attacks.
Now I know the right thing would be to just find a different place to live that does allow for pets, but it’s just not that easy. A lot of places are either way out of our budget or absolute shit holes. We are also not in a position to buy a house at the moment either.
In our lease, there is a “if pets are approved” section that lists out specific details about what is and isn’t allowed - no damage to the floors, no excessive barking, cleaning up after your pets waste, etc., this is something that is all manageable. (we would work with a trainer weekly).
Would appreciate your thoughts about how to best handle this situation. We have not made any concrete plans, I’m simply asking a question here as to what is appropriate. Please be kind in your responses.