Flagged Documentation
Are there any legitimate websites for buying assistance animal registrations, certificates, or ID cards?
No. Any website selling assistance animal registrations, certificates, or ID cards would be unreliable.
According to HUD’s 2020-01 notice, what are the two types of assistance animals recognized under the Fair Housing Act?
ESAs (emotional support animals) and service animals are the two types of assistance animals recognized under the Fair Housing Act.
At what age can dogs or cats get a rabies vaccine?
Dogs and cats can get the rabies vaccine at 16 weeks old (4 months old).
If we cannot approve an animal as an assistance animal for a customer that only uses OPP for assistance animal verifications, how should we mark the animal in OPP?
*Examples of assistance animal only customers: Venterra and YES Communities.
If we cannot approve an animal as an assistance animal for an assistance animal only customer, we should convert the animal to a regular pet and then mark it as retracted.
Which flagged health professional do we see the most letters from in the state of Texas?
We see the most letters from Miki Tesh in the state of Texas.
Which website sells letters with a logo showing a black head and white brain?
Supportpets.com sells letters with a logo showing a black head and white brain.
What are the two major differences between ESAs and service animals?
Service animals are trained to do work/a task to assist a person with a disability and only dogs can be service animals. ESAs are not trained to do a task, and any animal that is commonly kept in the household can be an ESA, as long as it is required for a disability.
At what age can dogs and cats usually be spayed/neutered?
Dogs and cats can usually be spayed/neutered at 6 months old.
*Note: there may be some cases where the vet advises waiting for the animal to be a little older before doing the procedure.
A resident has provided more than one ESA letter, so multiple letters are uploaded to OPP. We have the the letter and completed HP form, so we are ready to approve the animal. What should we do with the multiple ESA letters?
We should delete any documentation that we will not be using to verify and approve the ESA. We should only accept the reliable, verified documentation.
What is one question we should never ask a resident, when reviewing their assistance animal documentation?
We should never ask them what their disability is.
A resident in the state of Colorado provides a letter from a flagged HP, and the HP is not an MD. If the tenant feels we reached our conclusion in error about the letter being purchased online after only one short interview, what other question do we need to ask them?
A resident gives us 2 ESA letters from 2 different doctors. Both letters say this resident needs one ESA. How many ESAs should we approve?
We should approve one ESA. We have confirmation from two different health professionals that this resident has a disability related need for one animal.
A resident uploads a photo of their dog that looks like a Pit Bull. They list the breed as “Labrador Retriever,” and the vet record says “Mixed.” Pit Bulls are a restricted breed at this property. What should we do next?
We should change the breed to be listed as a Pit Bull, or even a Pit Bull Mix. We should mark the animal as restricted.
It looks like an animal keeps getting retracted over and over again. You keep moving the animal back in, but it keeps being retracted by "OPP (System)." Why might this be happening and what should we do?
This is likely due to our Yardi integration and this should be reported to the dev team for investigation.
A resident says their animal is both an ESA and a service animal. What’s your next step?
Ultimately, we will need documentation from a healthcare professional regardless of whether the animal is a service animal for a non-observable disability, or an ESA. If the animal isn't trained to do a task, then it would need to be considered an ESA.
At what point would we need to verify flagged documentation directly with a flagged HP?
We would only verify the documentation with the flagged HP if a resident insists that they did not purchase the letter online after a short interview, or if they say that they purchased it online but it was not provided after only one short interview.
If an ESA bites someone, would the PM be allowed to have the animal removed from the property?
Yes, a PM can have the animal removed from the property. An ESA is not allowed to be aggressive.
A property has a weight limit of 30 lbs/13.6 kg for dogs. An applicant provides a photo of a husky puppy, and lists the weight as 25 lbs/11.3 kg. Would this dog be allowed as a regular pet?
No, this puppy will weigh significantly more than 30 lbs/13.6 kg at its adult weight, so it would not be allowed as a regular pet.
A resident has an ESA application and the animal is listed as an ESA in OPP, but they haven't uploaded ESA documentation yet. The resident needs our assistance with uploading their documentation, so they send it to us via email. Where should we upload their documentation?
We should upload the documentation from the admin side of OPP, so we can bypass the two follow up questions about how the documentation was obtained.
In which state do we not re-verify documentation for known assistance animals for Greystar?
We are not reverifying assistance animal documentation for known assistance animals for Greystar properties in the state of Texas.
Please list all 5 level three red flags (automatic flags) for flagged documentation.
The letter has an expiration date exactly one year after being written.
Says it is valid in all 50 states.
Mentions something about the Air Carrier Access Act.
The provider's website mentions selling ESA letters.
The letter includes an ESA verification or registration number.
A resident says they have an observable disability (they are in a wheelchair) and they need their Pomeranian to assist them with this disability. How should we handle this request?
We would handle this as a non-observable disability, and request documentation from an HP. It is true that it is observable that the resident requires a wheelchair, but it would not be observable that they need the dog to assist with this disability. Pomeranians are 3-7 lbs/1.3 kg, so they would not be large enough to pull a wheelchair.
What vet documentation can we not require for assistance animals?
We cannot require proof of spay/neuter for assistance animals.
Why might an animal have a warning message that states, “this animal has been moved in without approval”?
This would be due to an integration moving in the resident and their animal, but the animal application has not yet been approved.
Which four states require that a health professional have at least a 30-day relationship with a patient before writing an ESA letter?
Arkansas, California, Louisiana, and Montana.