Florida Animal Legal Questions

These are very sticky issues and really need to be dealt with with a lawyer's direct involvement. Technically, you are able to ask if its a service animinal  required for a disability and what services does the animal provides. Thats it. If you start asking for proof of the service aspect of the animinal you run a high risk oif gettng involved in expensive litigation under HUD/FHA andthe ADA and you better be right that it was a sham or you will pay dearly. This is why these sham doctors issue letters for people on the internet claiming thier pit bull is a service animinal or ESA.... Read More

This is a difficult issue to address but the starting point is you will likley struggle to support multiple animals as ESA especially when you have a service dog added to the mix. You will need to speak to legal aid to address ths if the LL attempts to evict you for a lease violation. ... Read More

Here is the issue. Pitbull owners in conjunction with too many sleazy "physicians" and "vets" have abused the SA/ESA status to circumvent pet rules or bad dog blacklists. A few years ago, HUD issued a clarification that ESA's are not service animals under the ADA, and they can ask the following:  (1) Does the person seeking to use and live with the animal have a disability — i.e., a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities? (2) Does the person making the request have a disability-related need for an assistance animal? In other words, does the animal work, provide assistance, perform tasks or services for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provide emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of a person's existing disability? This opens the door for disputes about the merits of the ESA issue. Once there is a legitimate establishment of the ESA, then other considerations such as risks of harm or damage must be addressed based on the specific animal not breed fears etc. The cannot just arbitrarily "disapprove" and do so at great risk if the ESA issue is legitimate.  That being said, most lawyers will NOT take a "pitbull ESA" case unless it is clearly and demonstrably legitimate....and that means more than some internet vet or psychologist with a one stop visit firing off a letter, unless the client is paying an hourly rate and retainer. In contrast, if someone has documented history of PTSD as a veteran, treating regulalrly at the VA, its another issue.   ... Read More

If you can ID the person making the statements you would have a potental defmation case against the individual. We do that litigation however it not on a contingent fee but rather retainer/hourly rate. There are no lawyer I know of that habdle such caes on a concontungent fee for avariety of reasons.... Read More

Who knows because you havebeen making agreements in a legal situation without any lawyers involved and its simply impossible to tell what you have done or agreed to or not done or not agreed to. Practically your best bet is to pay her off immediately and make better decisions in the future. ... Read More

No. Regardless of whether you think its a scam or not, fact is, you allowed your dog to bite someone. If he is making a big deal outof it, you will simply have to contend with it and  go through the process with animal control. If you think he is going to demand money from you, you may want to retain a lawyer handle this immediately, as most scammers are not inclined to tangle with lawyers, simply because its too much effort and too little reward in most such cases.... Read More

"he proceeded to try and play with it they owner of the house pulled the dog out of his mouth and injured the dog" that is about the most unrealistic statement swaddled in denial I have ever heard. Translated, "your dog tried to eat the little dog and the owner SAVED it". YOU are responsible for controlling your dog...period ...end of story. If it bit another dog or anyone else, its YOUR responsibility. ... Read More

Absent the truck driver running his vehicle into your yard, its obvious your dog was NOT in your yard. You'll have to deal with the local animal shelter that has your dog to get him back at your expense. You need to keep your dog ina fenced are or inside to prevent this from happening again.... Read More

I anticpate the vet will have a dramatically different version of what was advised or not. Unless you have some clear evidence to the contrary, or there is something the vet did inherently wrong, this is not likely a viable case. In the meantime, you need to get your pet to another vet to examine the issue and take care of your animal. ... Read More

There simply is no way to address this in a blurb and this would likely be a case where you would need to retain a lawyer on a hourly rate/retainer basis. There may be several issues about the scope of the hunting "lease" and what it allows and what applies to "wild or stray" dogs by ordinance.... Read More