| The sum total of the Federal Fair Housing Act (FFHA), | | | | birds and even miniature horses. For uniformity, |
| the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the | | | | consistency and international awareness, all service |
| Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) (RA), and the | | | | animals of any species have been categorized as: |
| Washington State Law Against Discrimination | | | | (a) Guide animals for the blind |
| (WSLAD) results in the very strict mandates which | | | | (b) Hearing animals for the deaf and hearing impaired |
| are intended to protect the human rights and the | | | | (c) Service animals for providing assistance except to |
| welfare of disabled tenants and those disabled | | | | the blind or the hearing impaired |
| individuals who want to be tenants. | | | | To stay within the laws pertaining to service animals, |
| Furthermore, these laws also infer that the disabled | | | | landlords must incorporate the mandatory modifications |
| have as much of a right to enjoy their living | | | | into their properties and the relevant apartment |
| accommodations just like able bodied persons do and | | | | marketing plan. When advertising rentals, landlords |
| thus special provision must be made. It is true that the | | | | must be ready and willing to receive potential tenants |
| four laws named here are applicable only within the | | | | who need special provisions (if they are not already |
| borders of the United States of America, but it is also | | | | present) and allowances for their service animals. |
| true that many other nations have adopted similar | | | | For a better experience with all your apartment |
| laws, as well. | | | | marketing strategies needs, use a company well |
| All such laws demand that landlords made sure that | | | | experienced to achieve the best result,. This applies |
| their rental properties have reasonable | | | | whether you are renting out properties or are looking |
| accommodations available to any and all disabled | | | | to rent. |
| persons who may already be living there, who may be | | | | Since service animals are not considered to be pets, |
| submitting applications to be living there and/or who | | | | landlords whose rental property advertising their |
| may be disabled visitors of people who are currently | | | | vacant apartments in newspapers or the many |
| living there.Embedded within the definition of | | | | websites which provide such services, must be aware |
| reasonable accommodations, is the fact that, amid | | | | that their Òno petÓ policies (if they are in effect) do |
| other things, service animals (regardless of size or | | | | not apply to such cases. |
| species) accompanying disabled persons are | | | | The fact is that although these laws may seem to be |
| considered to be reasonable. | | | | annoying and burdensome to some landlords, they are |
| Landlords must know about service animals, but want | | | | necessary for the less fortunate sectors of our |
| exactly are they?They may look like pets but unlike | | | | community. WhatÕs more, they are also beneficial to |
| ordinary pets, service animals are working animals that | | | | landlords as considering disabled renters with service |
| have been especially trained to provide assistance to | | | | animals increases the pool of available potential |
| disabled persons who cannot do for themselves or | | | | tenants to choose from.And since there are |
| those who cannot reasonably function alone. | | | | approximately ten million disabled adults just in the |
| Service animals are also trained to provide assistance | | | | United States, the pool of possible renters increases |
| in law enforcement as well as to aid in SAR (search | | | | tremendously. |
| and rescue) missions.Most service animals around the | | | | Landlords must know that tenants who require the |
| world are dogs of various breeds, but some are of a | | | | companionship of service animals may actually be |
| completely different species such as monkeys, cats, | | | | blessing in disguise. |