Woman Wants Horse As Service Animal

The Americans with Disabilities Act was intended to make life a little easier for folks who have difficulty negotiating a world built for people who are normally endowed.

However, as I have noted before, there is a militant element of the "disabled community" for whom reasonable accommodation is an oxymoron.

Now, we have a woman who wants a miniature horse as a service animal which she wants to share her public subsidized apartment.

There are a lot of concerns, naturally, about the suitability of living in an apartment with a horse, regardless of size.

The accompanying article addresses most of those.

Personally, I think this is going way overboard and that a horse living in an apartment is well beyond reasonable accommodation.

But, what of this woman?

Is she incapable of understanding the problems that a restaurant might have with even a small horse standing next to someone's table and feeling the call of nature?

"Due to the unusual circumstances associated with housing a pony in an apartment setting," [The Central Vermont Community Land Trust] added, "careful review and consideration is being given to this request in order to determine whether this animal can reasonably address the specific needs described by this resident while assuring the overall welfare of both the animal involved and neighboring residents in the apartment complex."

"I'm confident it's all going to work out," she [Patty Cooper] said.

One benefit of a horse versus a dog is a longer life span. Tippy, the mixed-breed dog who was Cooper's previous service animal, died recently. "I don't want to have to go through this again in 10 years," she said. "Earl will live at least another 50 years. I'll still have him when I'm 100."

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[edit on 2007/10/19 by GradyPhilpott]

Let the lady have the horse!

I'm sure that with some training the little beasty could manage the functions of a service dog.

Although in fairness she would be better off with a pig as they are far smarter than dogs.

Or maybe a monkey!!

MonKey

When I first glanced at the thread title, I thought Grady had lost it and posted something WAY against the T&C....!!!!!!

I'm glad I was wrong...

At first read, I thought the woman was just being silly, but on retrospect, it is VERY tough suffering the death of any pet, and I can imagine it is more difficult when one depends on the animal as much as she must....

Semper

Actually many disabled people are turning to minis as an alternative to dogs. They are able to learn and do the same thing as the dogs but live much much longer.

It's hard enough to lose a beloved pet but how much harder it mucst be to lose a beloved companion you depend on. Let the lady have her horse.

It's not really the horse that I find objectionable.

It's the insistence of the woman wanting to keep the animal in an apartment and the problems that creates.

Certainly, horses have had many uses as a work animal for millennia, but to date, most have eschewed living with them.

Also, the excuse that an animals' dying is too much too bear is pretty lame.

The lifespan of dogs and cats is something that people have come to terms with for as long as the animals have been domesticated.

It's not that I don't have empathy for the woman; it's the lack of concern she is showing for the problems her preferences are causing for others that I have little sympathy for.

If she lived in her own home or even if she lived in a government subsidized single family dwelling, the problems of accomodation would be far less challenging and, more importantly, more reasonable.


[edit on 2007/10/21 by GradyPhilpott]

reply to post by GradyPhilpott

Horses are not like sheep, which are dumb as a brick. A horse can easily be trained to "hold it" - for example, police horses. I would imagine any animal used as a service critter already has this training

I don't see the problem here...

Mini's are so small as to pose no problem for weight issues in an elevator, they can certainly manage stairs, etc... You might have to wax the floor abit more often due to the hooves of the little critter, again not that big a deal. Let the lady have her horse.