How to request an assistance animal accommodation in Georgia

Start with the housing provider’s process

If you are asking to keep an assistance animal in rental housing, first check the lease, resident handbook, or property manager’s written accommodation process. Ask where to send a request and what information the provider needs.

An assistance-animal request is a housing matter. It is separate from the rules that apply to taking an ADA service dog into a business or other public place.

Explain the accommodation you are requesting

Make the request understandable and specific. For example, identify the animal-related rule or policy for which you are requesting an exception. Keep a copy of the request and note when and how you sent it.

HUD explains that an individual with a disability may request an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation to a housing provider’s pet restrictions. If a disability and disability-related need are not apparent, a provider may seek reliable supporting information under applicable law. The facts of the request matter.

Share relevant information through an appropriate channel

• Use the property’s stated process and contact person.
• Provide information that is relevant to the accommodation request.
• Avoid sending sensitive health details to a general leasing inbox unless the provider directs you to use it.
• Keep copies of documents and communications.

A request is not an automatic approval

A letter or other document does not force a housing provider to approve every request. The provider considers the request under applicable fair-housing requirements and the individual circumstances. If you have a dispute about your situation, consider a qualified housing advocate or attorney.

Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs publishes a Landlord-Tenant Handbook for general rental topics. The handbook is not legal advice and may not address the facts of a particular case.

• HUD: Assistance animals in housing
• Georgia DCA: Landlord-Tenant Handbook