Read the original article by Mckenna Eubank at okcfox.com here.
A law going into effect Nov. 1, might make it harder for people who don’t have proof of a disability, to have a service animal.
House Bill 3282 would allow landlords to require proof, and gives the landlords the ability to evict tenants who lie about their assistance animals, or can’t show proof.
Local dog trainers say they’re glad to see more guidelines be put in place.
“I think it’s a good idea to have clear expectations of what it is,” said Lukas Miller, the owner of Sit Means Sit. “Because even from the training standpoint it would be a lot easier for us if we had the exact clarification for what that dog needs to do.”
He added the loosely written guidelines for assistance animals make it easy for some people to take advantage of the system.
“The people who are abusing the system, maybe just trying to get doctors notes so they can get a discount on their rent, are really kind of making it hard for the rest of them to do the right thing,” he said.
The law also protects landlords from liability if the tenant gets hurt by the animal, and if a tenant does not have proof of disability, a landlord can evict them and charge them up to $1,000.
