Emotional Support Animals and Housing: What Ohio Renters Need to Know
By Kendall Jang, Staff Writer
Earlier this month, Ohio Animal Advocates reported on changes at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) affecting how the agency handles housing complaints involving emotional support animals (ESAs).
While federal enforcement priorities have changed, the Fair Housing Act has not, and Ohio renters also have state-level protections.
Ohio Law Protects Reasonable Accommodations
Under Ohio's fair housing law, housing providers must make reasonable accommodations when necessary to give a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their home.
Ohio also uses the term “animal assistant,” broadly defined as an animal that aids a person with a disability. This is not limited to trained service dogs.
For renters, this means a “no pets” policy does not necessarily prevent someone with a disability from requesting an accommodation for an assistance animal.
Housing providers may request limited documentation when the disability-related need is not apparent, but detailed medical records are generally not necessary. Each accommodation request should be considered individually.
What About Shelters?
The rules surrounding homeless shelters are more complicated and can depend on factors such as the type of shelter, length of stay, funding and a person's right to return. Shelter providers should seek legal guidance before changing existing assistance-animal policies.
The Bottom Line
Recent federal changes do not mean emotional support animals have lost all housing protections in Ohio. State fair housing protections remain important for Ohioans with disabilities who rely on assistance animals.
Anyone with questions about their specific situation should contact a qualified fair housing organization or attorney.
Take Action
1. To support struggling families and their pets, we advocate for stronger protections and provide a resource list of programs and services. Check out our Homeless Animals advocacy page to learn more.
2. Share this update with friends and family!
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