Questions re: autism service dog laws

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I do note that in the US, under the Americans with Disabilites Act, landlords may not refuse to rent to tenants with service dogs, but may charge "usual" deposits. However, there are some who charge extra monthly rent for pets - the place we're looking at requires an extra $50/month. The question I have is, are landlords in the state of Washington permitted to charge "pet rent" for a service dog?

Service Dog F.A.Q. for WA State (from Government)

I think this may work...

9. Can I charge a maintenance or cleaning fee, or safety deposit for customers who bring service animals into my business?

No. As for any other program modifications provided to people with disabilities, you may not charge an additional fee related to the use of service animals. An agency may charge its customers with disabilities if a service animal cause damage so long as it is the regular practice of the entity to charge non-disabled customers for the same types of damages.

However, WAC 163-98-100 (IIRC) specifies that "usual" deposits may be charged to someone with a service animal. The WAC doesn't directly address the concept of "pet rent", unfortunately... I'm hoping that someone here will be able to check for any precedents in this regard, either on the state or federal level.

You don't need a service dog for autism.

It's your personal choice to have a pet dog, and you shouldn't try to offload your individual choice and individual responsibility for your own choices by using 'disability' and 'service dogs' as an excuse to justify your own personal preferences, as that reflects really badly on other autistics that you're wanting preferential treatment due to 'disability' when in fact it's just your choice to want to have a pet.

If you want a pet, then you shouldn't whinge about having to pay a deposit or other charges associated with damage caused by keeping pets.

I'm afraid you are terribly misinformed about the use of service dogs for autism, Lulu.

One major purpose of such a dog is to provide the sense of danger that many autistics (including my daughter) lack. The dog would be trained to prevent her from, for instance, running out of the back yard and into the street because she saw a dandelion on the other side. (Her perseverations include flowers and the color yellow; dandelions are her own "perfect storm".) Further, the dog would also protect her from predatory humans, something her comunication difficulties leave her vulnerable to.

They can also provide emotional stability. The dogs are trained to sense when their human is about to go into meltdown, and provide comfort to lessen the meltdown.

If we just wanted a pet, we've already got two cats. We were interested in getting a trained assistance dog to help our daughter with the problems associated with her autism. But thanks so much for playing.

Lulu there is a distinct diffrences between a PET and a service animal as well as the tasks listed by DeaconBlues Autism service dogs have other task that they can be trained to do. Service dog a specaily trained to help som eone with a disability this is NOT the same as a pet!

They stop self injurous behaivors

They can alert to a child trying to sneak out at night

quide someone out of a overstimulating enviorment

to alert them to things they need to pay attention to like fire alarms

some are trained to find the autistic child or person if they wander

some can divert stimming into petting.

Having a service dog doesn't make other autistics look bad I have an autism service dog and she helps me in so manny ways and I don't know what I would do with out her. She helps me with fire alarms and saftey harazds. She reminds me to take my meds every morning. She can track me if I wander she will lead me out of an over stimulating enviorment on commaand. I love her.

DeaconBlue I live in MA but up here atleast they can not charge you pet rent as far as I know but they can charge you for damages done by your dog sorry I can't be more help.