Ok, Here We Go Again -- Service Animal and Condo Board

 

Back in 2014 we faced a huge battle getting Skruffy approved as a Service Dog with the Condo Association.  Well, unfortunately, the Association, run by a different person this time, is still 'Barking' at the idea.  (pun intended)

First, back in 2018, with a new president at the helm, we were asked to have Marcia re-certified as having a disability and a need for an emotional needs dog.  I sent off a scathing letter which said, in part, that we did not have a emotional needs dog, we have a service dog...and that the Condo Association already had a letter from a Neurologist which clearly stated that she has MS, that she needs the services of a dog, and frankly we were offended by the idea that Marcia would have to re-certify...MS is for life, it does not go away.  I threatened with another HUD complaint if they pursued the matter any more, and never heard back from them.

 

So today we got a Registered Letter, which the post office tried to drop off yesterday but we were at Marcia's Doctor's appointment (which went very well, by-the-way), so at 10:30 I go over to the post office and as I expected, it was a letter from the Condo Association.  They wanted us to fill out a full page application pertaining to Bubba, and then, on top of that, take a two page application to the doctor for him to fill out pertaining to Marcia.  So I get back home, and talk to Marcia, and then head off to the Association President's place to see if I could talk sense into her.  We had submitted the same form for Bubba which was agreed on back in July of 2014...and she accuses me of using the Association's Letterhead (which was part of the form) without their permission!  Well, if you know me, that set me off.  I tried to tell her that this form is the form agreed to back in 2014, and she said "no, it was not", even though she was not on the board back then.  I told her I would abide by the 2014 agreement, and I would put that in writing and she could send that off to their lawyers.   

 

So I go through all my paperwork from before, write a two page letter explaining how they are not following HUD rules, not following ADA procedures, and that we were not notified of the new form, nor was anyone else living at the condos notified, and that we will NEVER have Marcia re-certified, and "IF" they have a new form pertaining to a dog, that we would consider using that form "IF" it followed HUD and ADA rules and procedures.  I included this line:

"Association Presidents and Board Members come and go, MS does not go away. HUD is very clear that once the Association Board knows that she is disabled, and needs a service dog, that they MUST provide a waiver to the “no pet” rule."

The real bad thing about it is that this has brought undo stress upon Marcia, again.  Stress and MS do not mix well at all.  Attached to my two page letter was six different items, most multiple pages, where I highlighted HUD Rules which were being violated, including one which included the idea that all of this might be in retaliation to our HUD complaint, which is a major violation of the law.  Now the ball is in their court...let's see how they want to play it.