pets

I have lived in buildings that allow pets for owners not tenants. I think that is a good balance…people who own in the building are more likely going to be more conscientious and aware of their pet not being a nuisance to others or damaging common areas. All the buildings I have considered purchasing a unit in that had a 100% no pet policy for all residents definitely had lower prices and longer times on market to sell vs. comparable buildings.

Try not allowing "service animals."

It's really amazing for pets.

You bring up an interesting situation 30yrs

Does a Co-op's omnipotence win that one? Probably not. What about an emotional support boa constrictor?

From what I understand, coops successfully squashed most abuse in that area - not that it was much to begin with. An individual rarely has the resources or the perseverance to engage with the board on equal terms since since a coops usually have a lawyer on retainer ready to deal with any issues.

https://www.habitatmag.com/Publication-Content/Legal-Financial/2019/2019-April/Dog-Discrimination

That's a unique and very different case, where an elderly person needed a trained service dog for legitimate medical reasons and the board refused, even though they previously allowed similar requests. Real service dogs cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to train, are hard to come by, and come with all kinds of paperwork that can be submitted as a proof.

I'd pay more to own in a building with no yapping dogs.

And exactly What documentation are you allowed to even question without running afoul of ADA?

FYI This has been an ongoing issue for real estate agents/brokers continuing education for several years

https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/#:~:text=Staff%20are%20not%20allowed%20to,nature%20of%20the%20person's%20disability.

It's not the ADA, it's the Fair Housing Act, which says that a note from a "health care practitioner" overrules any building policy. Yes, a massage therapist is a "health care practitioner."

Yes.
And given that anyone with time, money and a lack of shame can now get their pet of choice deemed a "service animal"..
It would seem that any house rules banning pets would be pointless now.

It got out of control in my building for a while but has largely calmed down.

At least for dogs, which are required to be licensed in NY, a co-op could say "If you have a service animal and it is a dog, you must provide evidence of their NY license as part of your application (or on the date of move-in )." That might cut down a bit on the iffy cases. Alternatively, if somebody showed up for their board interview without the animal, then showed up at move-in with one, the board might have the ability to say that it's not a true service animal, as it wasn't accompanying them at all times. While under ADA, "if the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, that would not be considered a service animal", NY is a lot squishier about all of this, to everybody's detriment except those looking to take advantage of the laws.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/02/how-an-alligator-became-an-emotional-support-animal-they-said-it-was-a-midlife-crisis