Pet Friendly Beach Condos For Sale | Sarasota Barrier Islands

Service Animals and Sarasota Beach Condos

We are often asked about Sarasota beach condos and their policies on service animals. Condominium associations in Florida must honor the resident’s right to own an Emotional Support Animal despite having condo restrictions on pets. However, the current statutes provide condo associations a legal tool which is focused on preventing the formerly commonplace fraud of passing off an owner’s pet as “emotional support animal”. It is true that buyers may be able to own a service animal, even in the event that the condo restricts pets. However, this is not a guarantee.

In the event that the condominium association has reason to question a condo owner’s disability or need to own a service animal, by law the association is allowed to request reliable documentation of an owner’s disability and disability-related need for an ESA service animal before the association determines whether an accommodation is necessary.

Currently, there is a Florida statute with the goal to be anti-fraud reform which outlines a consistent standard in determining requirements of an ESA, and additionally actually sets out penalties which can be levied on those who make false claims in regards to the need for an ESA animal. In Florida, it is a misdemeanor to knowingly provide false information misrepresenting a person as having a disability-related need for an emotional Support Animal. Additionally, the health care provider that assists in a false claim is subject to disciplinary action. Therefore, it is not an easy process to claim an ESA and bypass condo rules.