Registered Companion Animal?

[see_me_naked]

So I've been wanting for ages to get a dog, and I'm finally in a place where I'm financially stable, have a good home, am home early enough, etc.

I have found a dog that I absolutely adore. She's a rescue dog, 8 years old, and would be able to be adopted in about a month.

Comments

[shadefell]

"Companion animals" are animals that provide a service for people with emotional/mental difficulties, but who do not fall under the category of "service animals." Someone with agoraphobia or acute anxiety, for instance, might find the presence of a companion animal helpful for leaving the apartment; kind of a portable comfort zone/emotional support. People who deal with PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc can find that animals can help them stabilize their emotions. A friend of mine with PTSD, severe depression, and anxiety was instructed by his psychologist to get a pet. He got an iguana

[see_me_naked]

Yeah....I think legitimately I'd be healthier and happier with an animal around....especially one who forces me to get out of the house several times a day. All my interests tend to keep me alone in front of a computer screen. That isn't healthy.

[meryddian]

I really can't add much to what Shadefell wrote. But it's funny that in Chicago, when I was looking for a rental place (when I first moved here), how many properties took dogs, but not cats. They can both be equally destructive.

And your little poochie-to-be is probably smaller than most cats. :)

[sylvarthorne]

My guess is that the determination is made less on "capacity for destruction" and more on "capacity for disruption" - of the rest of the building. Dogs bark; and I guess most people don't clean out their cat's litter box often enough so it smells bad? Destruction can be remedied, at the expense of the occupant's security deposit. Though really, I don't know and am only making a guess.

I also guess I got lucky in finding a nice place in Chicago that was happy to take me and my kitty :)

[see_me_naked]

I think destruction vs. disruption is right. But this dog is silent and doesn't destroy anything - she's lived in a kennel most of her life. She's pretty happy just to be able to turn around and roll over.

[sylvarthorne]

Oh, poor puppy :(

[roninspoon]

A psychiatrist can determine that you require a companion animal for emotional needs. My mother has apparently attempted to do this so that she can take her dog, who is just a touch too large to fit under a standard airline seat, on the plane with her. I think the trick is finding a medical professional who will provide the recommendation without having to spend lots of time and money on therapy.