Federally sanctioned animals aren’t just peacocks on United Airlines
By Bert Stratton
(Editor’s notes: Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.The author is uncle to Jordan Rose and Court Rich)
‘Emotional support animals”—I’ve seen a few, and not just Dexter the peacock, bane of United Airlines. I’ve been dealing with ESAs since 2012. I’m a landlord in Cleveland with a no-dogs policy. I adopted the rule in 1977, when a tenant’s Doberman slept on the living-room floor and left a body-oil stain in the hardwood floor that is still there. Sanding never got the stain out.
Some landlords rent to dogs 25 pounds and under. Do the landlords have scales in their rental offices? And what if the dog puts on weight after moving in? My thinking: If you want a dog, live in a house with a yard.
I rent to cats for an extra $10 a month. I’m always on the lookout for nonpaying cats resting on tenants’ windowsills. Ferrets were big about 10 years ago. Skunks: I’ve only had one. The owner said, “But it’s denatured!” Thank goodness for Odor Assassin.
