Prescription Dogs?

Dear Dog Lady,

We live in an apartment and would love to have a small dog. Apparently, our building has a "no pets" policy. However, several tenants have small dogs and cats. When we asked our landlords, they told us these tenants have prescriptions for therapeutic pets and having one of these prescriptions is the only way for us to obtain a pet. What do you know about prescriptions for therapeutic pets? Do you have to be clinically depressed or have other mental disorders in order to qualify? Or you can you just really love animals? Is this something that our family practice doctor can write a prescription for? Thanks for any light you can shed on this topic.

Allison, Riverdale, NY

Allison, your provocative question uncorks a new kink in the ties between people and pets. Yes, dogs now have gotten the medical status of "emotional therapy" animals. Dog Lady presumes there are psychiatrists and psychologists who will validate this condition, but, really, it seems these people in the apartment building aren't mental cases. They are merely working the system to skirt the rule.

You could do this too, if you are so willing, but Dog Lady is not going to advise you about personal ethics. It depends on whether you want to make a medical mental case with your family doctor in order to flaut the apartment’s code.

Our pets provide emotional sustenance just by "being." They’re sweeter than Prozac and much more fun. You’re not seeking a dog for any other reason than you want a small dog to keep you company and smooth out the rough edges of life. If the residents of this apartment complex need to plead insanity in order to keep companion animals, you’re more than welcome to do the same. However, it might be saner all the way around if you looked for another apartment where dogs are welcomed under all circumstances, not just trumped-up mental duress.

Posted by Dog Lady at February 5, 2007 11:32 AM