Comments on: Discrimination Law Going to the Dogs? http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/05/discrimination.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Frank http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/05/discrimination.html/comment-page-1#comment-59035 Frank Tue, 16 May 2006 19:59:12 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/05/discrimination-law-going-to-the-dogs.html#comment-59035 I'm very sympathetic with the pet owners described in the article. If we're really going to put mental health needs on a parity with physical health needs, shouldn't these pets be recognized as therapy and reasonably accommodated? Japanese researchers have had a lot of success helping the elderly by providing them with robotic (but furry) seal pups that emit cooing sounds: http://www.temple.edu/ispr/examples/ex03_12_05.html I know the animals may have externalities--barking, etc. But if there's strict enforcement of rules against those types of disturbances, they should be allowed. As for the market solution: in many urban housing markets, it's a seller's market. (Vacancies in Manhattan are about 1% now, I think.) I’m very sympathetic with the pet owners described in the article. If we’re really going to put mental health needs on a parity with physical health needs, shouldn’t these pets be recognized as therapy and reasonably accommodated?

Japanese researchers have had a lot of success helping the elderly by providing them with robotic (but furry) seal pups that emit cooing sounds:

http://www.temple.edu/ispr/examples/ex03_12_05.html

I know the animals may have externalities–barking, etc. But if there’s strict enforcement of rules against those types of disturbances, they should be allowed. As for the market solution: in many urban housing markets, it’s a seller’s market. (Vacancies in Manhattan are about 1% now, I think.)

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