Landlord Said the Snakes Gotta Go :(

I'm not sure what to do here, guys. My landlord found out about my snakes, which I never thought would be a problem, and said they go by Monday or I'm evicted. Needless to say I haven't been able to find a spot for them and I'm running out of ideas. :(

I have around 40 BPs from babies to adults housed in 2 DIY racks made from the Home Depot shelves so they don't take up a lot of space, just not many people are super keen to let you keep a bunch of snakes at their place.

What would you do if you were in this situation?

Is there anything in your lease against pets or reptiles? If not, then you may be able to fight it.

Honestly, the only thing you can really do is look for somewhere else to live or get rid of your collection. With that big of a collection, finding somewhere else to live might not be such a bad idea. Maybe ask your landlord if it's possible to keep a few of them? At the very least, maybe ask for more time so that you can find them homes. The last two people I knew who had to give up their snakes because of this situation had to split their collection among a few of their friends' houses and sell from there.

You can hide them at someone else's house for your next inspection, but then you risk your landlord finding out and then kicking you out without a chance to fix the situation.

Is there a herp society near you?

They might be able to help.

Where do you live??

IF they are not allowed in the lease, you made a choice to do something against the property owers wishes.
You do have a couple choices: 1 sell them off quickly, 2 be honest and upfront with a new landlord and find another place quickly but don't expect anything returned from where you are at, and 3 find someone you trust to hold your collection while you get your poop in a group.

**Let this be a lesson to all those that are hiding animals on property they don't own. Its not just about you and your wants. At some point there will be animals at risk.**

I had to move once and rehome all of my snakes. I made sure I did all that before I moved into my new residence because the place I was moving to strictly said no caged animals. I would rather do what is right for my animals then risk being evicted with them. You need to man up and do the right thing. See if someone can take them for you until you find a place that will "allow" you to have them. Giving up my snakes was very hard for me but I did what I had to for their wellbeing.

The first thing you should do, as mentioned, is scan your lease very carefully to see what it says about the animals. If it doesn't strictly forbid them, you may have a solid way to fight his threat. If the property is strictly "no pets" then you may be out of luck on that front.

Even so...it may be worth it to try and work things out with the landlord, without folding under the heavy threat of "Eviction". Anywhere in the US, evicting a legal tenant is no small task for a landlord, and depending on exactly where you live, it could be more than just a pain in his ass. Some states make it really hard to evict in any sort of timely and/or affordable manner.

It sounds scary to be threatened with eviction, but it's not like he can say, "YOU have to be out of here by Monday." He has a legal hoops he has to jump through and he has to give you at least 30 days notice, and in some states, 60 days, bare minimum. If you fight it, it gets even harder. And, we're coming up on the holiday season, winter, New Year's...which is just about the worst time of year to try and find tenants for a rental unit.

So maybe...if you have a reasonable and professional discussion with him and make it clear you won't fold under the threat...he may be willing to work out a compromise, rather than actually follow through with the threat. Of course, you should continue to work out a plan B and a plan C just in case he IS so horrified by snakes that he'd take you to court and risk having his property sit empty for a few months.

I guess it isn't important at this point, but how did the landlord find out about them in the first place?

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Originally Posted by albinos_rule

I guess it isn't important at this point, but how did the landlord find out about them in the first place?

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They can and do property checks.

If you are a good tenant(pay rent on time, follow rules, keep the place clean etc.) you should be able to work this out. Good, clean and reliable tenant are not easy to find.

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Originally Posted by theNotoriousDUD

If you are a good tenant(pay rent on time, follow rules, keep the place clean etc.) you should be able to work this out. Good, clean and reliable tenant are not easy to find.

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Wrong, it's all about the lease he signed, if no animal are allowed or no snake , being a good tenant or not as little to do with what happen next.

Rules are rules and in the case of an apartment, property managers do not make exception they just enforce rules, last thing they would want is that other tenants hear that an exception has been made.

In the case of a house it is up to the owner but again it all comes down to the lease.

The good news is that eviction process is not as easy as the owner might think, the bad news based on the threat that was made, the owner can and is likely prepared to make the tenant's life a nightmare.

When you sign a contract you sign a contract.

To the OP you have a few choices but first you need to check your contract.

Sell your collection and stay where you live

Find a place to live that accepts snakes, and in that case you must be upfront with the number of animals also, in the mean time have a friend or family member care for you animals.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

They can and do property checks.

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Not in the state I live in..If a landlord comes in a house you are renting they are guilty of breaking and entering just like anyone else! There are always circumstances to that, but as long as the rent is paid they have no more right to enter the home as a bum on the street does. I guess every state may have different laws and such. Maybe the landlord of the OP had reason to enter the home.

What state do you live in?

It's their property, they can enter whenever they want because they OWN the building. Of course they can't go in and take things but they have the right to inspect a property to make sure their building is being properly taken care of.

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Originally Posted by HVani

What state do you live in?

It's their property, they can enter whenever they want because they OWN the building. Of course they can't go in and take things but they have the right to inspect a property to make sure their building is being properly taken care of.

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You might want to look into some more. In Cali my grandma (landlord) can't just come in without permission. If she needs to get in to make repairs or just wants to look around she gives them a 24hr notice. See has had tenants not give access and the cops are called (got to wait for them yada yada) now she can come in without notice for emergencies burst pipe/ fire and can key right in. However if she just keys in and walks in just to look around she can go to jail. OP I hope you find somewhere for your snakes or work something out. Here's some read about privacy in California a lot of states are very similar http://www.caltenantlaw.com/Privacy.htm know your RIGHTS

Not my snakes


I'm a homeowner luckily

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Originally Posted by Slip

You might want to look into some more. In Cali my grandma (landlord) can't just come in without permission. If she needs to get in to make repairs or just wants to look around she gives them a 24hr notice. See has had tenants not give access and the cops are called (got to wait for them yada yada) now she can come in without notice for emergencies burst pipe/ fire and can key right in. However if she just keys in and walks in just to look around she can go to jail

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I just moved from an apartment in California to a house in Colorado, and I back up your statement. Our landlord had to give 24 hour notice before they could come and look around. It also has to be between business hours. We had a manager drop in on us without letting us know and we told her to leave and come back in 24 hours. She couldn't do anything about it.

The exception to this rule is in the case of an emergency, such as a pipe that has burst.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the Renter's Rights for Colorado, and they cannot enter without notice unless they believe you have abandoned the apartment OR if there is something in your lease that says they may enter without prior notice/permission.

It's all depends on where you live.

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Originally Posted by HVani

Not my snakes


I'm a homeowner luckily

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I said OP (original poster). This is not a homeowner problem. We rent out many propertys and as the owner you give up a lot of rights when you rent. I have evicted many tenants and its not easy and not fun and takes time.

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Originally Posted by Slip

I said OP (original poster). This is not a homeowner problem. We rent out many propertys and as the owner you give up a lot of rights when you rent. I have evicted many tenants and its not easy and not fun and takes time.

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My bad.



Learn something new everyday.

Best piece of information I can give to anybody is KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. You get pulled over by the cops (you have rights) rent a house/apartment (you have rights) get a new job (you have rights) and if you don't know your rights its easy for anyone to bully you or make you scared.

OP what does your lease state about pets? And was the notice given verbally or in writing?

Based on OP's post history he's in California. So, some reading for him:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/l...mer+Affairs%29

http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-eviction.htm

If you've been in your place long enough to go month-to-month, offer to be out in 30 days instead of going through the court eviction process, which would take your landlord just as long anyway. It would keep an eviction off your credit report and give you more time to find a new place.

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Originally Posted by HVani

What state do you live in?

It's their property, they can enter whenever they want because they OWN the building. Of course they can't go in and take things but they have the right to inspect a property to make sure their building is being properly taken care of.

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Not true in California (and probably most other states). They have to give at LEAST 24 hours notice before entering here, and can only do so for routine inspections (i.e. annual fire detector inspection) or planned upgrades. They also cannot enter without the tenant present if they say no, which I always do because of my dog... he's legally in my apartment, I just don't trust him to allow a stranger into the home, nor do I trust them not to let him escape. So I have to check a box saying "yes, you can enter without my permission" or "no, please contact me to arrange a time when I will be home" etc.

They might own the building/house, but a legal tenant has rights too once they've signed a contract. If someone leased a car and paid their payments on time, could the lender just go over and drive or open it whenever they desired? Nope. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

OP what does your lease state about pets? And was the notice given verbally or in writing?

Based on OP's post history he's in California. So, some reading for him:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/l...mer+Affairs%29

http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-eviction.htm

If you've been in your place long enough to go month-to-month, offer to be out in 30 days instead of going through the court eviction process, which would take your landlord just as long anyway. It would keep an eviction off your credit report and give you more time to find a new place.

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If he's in California, that makes things even MORE difficult for the landlord! It's not easy to evict a tenant here, and I've heard of cases where people "squatted" for months before the landlord succeeded. So I'd fight this as long as possible, and read that lease very carefully again. If it doesn't exclude reptiles and/or give a maximum number allowed, they will have little grounds on which to evict... and at the very least, the OP can buy themselves some time to figure out their next move.

I am in Missouri, and no the landlord can't just march in, and out of a renters home of their own free will. Even though they own the home!!

you can get a therapist sign off on saying you need therapeutic animals. if you can find a reason to say you need them, anxiety, depression, etc. once you get that, legally you cannot be denied to live or take them anywhere. I'd look into that. it's what I did.

Fight it, unless you signed a contract saying no pets were allowed. But snakes can't cause damage to a house so there's no reason you can't have them, the only time I've had to tell a tenant anything like that was when they moved in with a pitbull they didn't tell us about but only because of insurance reasons for us we had to ask them to either leave, or get renters insurance which they did. I just started helping manage apartments with my uncle so i don't really know much about that but i don't think even we can get rid of someone for that but I'll try to find out, i think you can fight it though.

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Originally Posted by xanthe

you can get a therapist sign off on saying you need therapeutic animals. if you can find a reason to say you need them, anxiety, depression, etc. once you get that, legally you cannot be denied to live or take them anywhere. I'd look into that. it's what I did.

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Got to love people using the system, and encouraging others to do so when there are people with real legitimate reasons out there.

What's next handicap tag so you can park closer.

YOU should be ashamed.

no. I shouldn't be.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Got to love people using the system, and encouraging others to do so when there are people with real legitimate reasons out there.

What's next handicap tag so you can park closer.

YOU should be ashamed.

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Deborah

I am one of those people with real legitimate reasons. I have border line personality disorder and PTSD. my snakes are the only thing I have that calms me down and makes me feel better. so no. I shouldn't be ashamed. I'm simply telling someone who has a hobby that makes him happy a way to keep that hobby. its not abusing the system. its pretty much getting a license saying you can have the animals because they are beneficial to you and make you happy.

so yeah no, I'm sorry but no I'm not ashamed. I do have real reasons. and you should be the one who's ashamed jumping to conclusions and putting someone else down for having metal disorders and trying to help someone keep something in their life that makes them happy.

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Originally Posted by xanthe

Deborah

I am one of those people with real legitimate reasons. I have border line personality disorder and PTSD. my snakes are the only thing I have that calms me down and makes me feel better. so no. I shouldn't be ashamed. I'm simply telling someone who has a hobby that makes him happy a way to keep that hobby. its not abusing the system. its pretty much getting a license saying you can have the animals because they are beneficial to you and make you happy.

so yeah no, I'm sorry but no I'm not ashamed. I do have real reasons. and you should be the one who's ashamed jumping to conclusions and putting someone else down for having metal disorders and trying to help someone keep something in their life that makes them happy.

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You are trying to help someone keeping what makes them happy by encouraging them to use the system plain simple (you can spin it however you want that's what you do) but I guess you are right no shame in that either. :rolleyes:

Let me tell you if I had to lose my animals I would be devastated however I would not use the system to go around it, I would fight legally if I am in my right and I would own to my mistake if my contract stipulated that there were no animals allowed.

If your reasons are legitimate you should know better then encouraging people do do this. Therapy animals are not a group of 40 with the intent to breed.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

You are trying to help someone keeping what makes them happy by encouraging them to use the system plain simple (you can spin it however you want that's what you do) but I guess you are right no shame in that either. :rolleyes:

Let me tell you if I had to lose my animals I would be devastated however I would not use the system to go around it, I would fight legally if I am in my right and I would own to my mistake if my contract stipulated that there were no animals allowed.

If your reasons are legitimate you should know better then encouraging people do do this. Therapy animals are not a group of 40 with the intent to breed.

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I have to agree. I have an anxiety disorder and I would never think to do this. They help me calm down so I will most likely always have 1, but they aren't therapy animals they are just pets.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

You are trying to help someone keeping what makes them happy by encouraging them to use the system plain simple (you can spin it however you want that's what you do) but I guess you are right no shame in that either. :rolleyes:

Let me tell you if I had to lose my animals I would be devastated however I would not use the system to go around it, I would fight legally if I am in my right and I would own to my mistake if my contract stipulated that there were no animals allowed.

If your reasons are legitimate you should know better then encouraging people do do this. Therapy animals are not a group of 40 with the intent to breed.

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emotional therapy animals are any kind of animal that helps you emotionally, there's no limit of how many nor limit on what you can do with them. the legitimacy of my problems are also not based on if I encourage people to have animals that make them happy or not. and excuse me, I didn't know letting someone know if they talked to a therapist and had some problems they could get the animals they loved and cared about legally put as emotional therapy animals so that he could keep some and not have to run into this problem anywhere and everywhere he goes, was such a terrible thing. am I encouraging the fact that this is a way to save everything even if he's had these animals against contract? no. I'm saying that he can get them registered so if he has to move he can keep them.

so instead of telling me why I should be ashamed and trying to put me down. maybe you could ask questions and see what I'm trying to say. because I'm not telling him to go break his leg and get a handicap parking pass like you think I am.

Now, now. Simmer down guys.

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Originally Posted by xanthe

Deborah

I am one of those people with real legitimate reasons. I have border line personality disorder and PTSD. my snakes are the only thing I have that calms me down and makes me feel better. so no. I shouldn't be ashamed. I'm simply telling someone who has a hobby that makes him happy a way to keep that hobby. its not abusing the system. its pretty much getting a license saying you can have the animals because they are beneficial to you and make you happy.

so yeah no, I'm sorry but no I'm not ashamed. I do have real reasons. and you should be the one who's ashamed jumping to conclusions and putting someone else down for having metal disorders and trying to help someone keep something in their life that makes them happy.

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I'm with Deborah on this. She did not diss you and say you don't have issues. She simply said you should be ashamed for encouraging someone to use that as a BS excuse to keep their animals and I agree with her. ESPECIALLY since you claim to seriously have these issues. Considering you have PTSD or whatever you have, you should be fairly upset when someone uses your condition to their benefit.

This is just like people who have handicap parking permits for no reason other than to have to no walk as far parking elsewhere.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Now, now. Simmer down guys.

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no worries, I see that people in this thread are not understanding what I'm trying to say or my intentions behind my suggestion, so I'm pretty much done.

I don't enjoy being put down or talked down to and ganged up on for something that I believe in, something that has helped me, and/or giving someone an option to look into in a time of need. I am not saying people should claim to have mental disorders if they don't, I'm saying if people can register there animals as emotional support animals than they should. the only reason I encourage other people to do so is because I know the joy and comfort they can bring and I think everyone should have something in there life that can do so.
so best of luck to finding a place and being able to keep the animals you enjoy and love [emoji4]

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Originally Posted by xanthe

I am one of those people with real legitimate reasons. I have border line personality disorder and PTSD.

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I should probably stop with tell you to grow up and deal with life. Claiming ptsd is was to wasy and a joke.
Yes I said it.
Do you think I like waking up at all hours of the night or not sleeping at all? Is it a dissorder? Yes. Is it a dissability? No!!!
Let me give you a little peak into the unanswered part of my life....
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...pse6rwltea.jpg
Forget about the 3 direct relatives at are convicted muderers and dealers.

So for you to promote something to work the system is just plain words I cannot post here

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And yes I have carried a copy of that with me for 30+ years

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Claiming ptsd is was to wasy and a joke.

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Excuse me, my husband is a combat veteran with PTSD and I can tell you that it is a disability. PTSD *can* affect the brain in the same way that physical trauma does. Not only does my husband suffer from insomnia and night terrors, but his PTSD has affected his memory (short term and long term -- he can not even remember what he was talking about midway through a sentence), as well as his ability to relate and communicate with people. He takes 15 pills a day (prescribed) for his PTSD symptoms alone -- that is not counting his cracked spine. The VA has actually declared him 100% disabled due to his PTSD. That is not even considering his physical injuries. Severe PTSD is a nightmare. I'm sorry that you've experienced trauma and you have PTSD, but to say that someone else's is not a disability because it doesn't affect you in the same way is wrong.

Take into consideration that everyone's brain chemistry is different, and trauma affects people differently. My cousin watched his father stab his mother to death, and then stab himself, but aside from nightmares, he is a pretty stable person. My husband attacks invisible enemies in our bedroom in the middle of the night and sometimes has episodes that remove him so far from reality that he ends up in psych wards for 8 months at a time.

Not even to mention that PTSD-related psychosis is something that does happen. It has happened to my husband twice since we've been together, and both of these were diagnosed by civilian, VA, and medical doctors.

Thankfully, the law is based upon facts and not emotions. The tenant did not have permission from the landlord to have the snakes. Unless there are extenuating factors, the case is closed and either the snakes, tenant, or both are out of the property.

You dont have to like me, my posts or the truth.
PTSD isnt just a military thing.
Do I think it a joke? Yes
Why? Because there are so many people laying claim to it.
Are there people with real problems? Yes
Do we all have issues? Probably. I know whats in my head that most wouldnt want to see or deal with.
Should we condone fraud? Can you prove its not?

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

You dont have to like me, my posts or the truth.
PTSD isnt just a military thing.
Do I think it a joke? Yes
Why? Because there are so many people laying claim to it.
Are there people with real problems? Yes
Do we all have issues? Probably. I know whats in my head that most wouldnt want to see or deal with.
Should we condone fraud? Can you prove its not?

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I never said it was a military thing, but I dare you to walk into a PTSD inpatient ward at a VA hospital and tell those soldiers who have loaded their friends' dead bodies into bags that PTSD is a "joke" and they need to "grow up". I was not condoning fraud, or even defending OP for saying that she has it. I don't know her. She could be lying. That's not the point. The point is that you are claiming that it's not a disability because it doesn't affect YOU that way. It's not "the truth". It's you making a general statement (a very judgmental and offensive one) based on your personal experience. Your personal experience does not have anything to do with anyone else's PTSD. Is it wrong that people claim it when it's not true? Absolutely. But is it fair for you to say that people who suffer from PTSD -- people who really SUFFER -- need to 'grow up'? No, because brain injuries don't work that way.

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Originally Posted by somnambulant

I never said it was a military thing, but I dare you to walk into a PTSD inpatient ward at a VA hospital and tell those soldiers who have loaded their friends' dead bodies into bags that PTSD is a "joke" and they need to "grow up". I was not condoning fraud, or even defending OP for saying that she has it. I don't know her. She could be lying. That's not the point. The point is that you are claiming that it's not a disability because it doesn't affect YOU that way. It's not "the truth". It's you making a general statement (a very judgmental and offensive one) based on your personal experience. Your personal experience does not have anything to do with anyone else's PTSD. Is it wrong that people claim it when it's not true? Absolutely. But is it fair for you to say that people who suffer from PTSD -- people who really SUFFER -- need to 'grow up'? No, because brain injuries don't work that way.

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I didn't get a chance to serve due to something as sad as hearing loss.
However you and yours are welcome to come to a BBQ and listen to some of the stories my chosen family tells of their times over seas.
And yes it sucks when I have to put a casket in the ground that weighs less that I know my friend did.
I don't post just to post. I live a real life and consist of more than you see here.
So before you ask me to do something somewhere, you should make sure that I haven't already been there and voiced my thoughts.
As far as being offended, Im sorry you feel that way but everything going on in life are not solely about you, including my thoughts.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

I didn't get a chance to serve due to something as sad as hearing loss.
However you and yours are welcome to come to a BBQ and listen to some of the stories my chosen family tells of their times over seas.
And yes it sucks when I have to put a casket in the ground that weighs less that I know my friend did.
I don't post just to post. I live a real life and consist of more than you see here.
So before you ask me to do something somewhere, you should make sure that I haven't already been there and voiced my thoughts.
As far as being offended, Im sorry you feel that way but everything going on in life are not solely about you, including my thoughts.

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It wasn't about me, but I'm not going to argue about it anymore. :) I don't understand your point of view and you don't understand mine, so I think we can just leave it at that.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Let me give you a little peak into the unanswered part of my life....
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...pse6rwltea.jpg

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Question, if you don't mind me asking, is that your mother or..?

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Originally Posted by pbyeerts

Thankfully, the law is based upon facts and not emotions. The tenant did not have permission from the landlord to have the snakes. Unless there are extenuating factors, the case is closed and either the snakes, tenant, or both are out of the property.

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Actually the OP has not stated what, if anything, is in the lease regarding pets. It may only reference only cats and dogs, it may state no pets permitted at all, it may be silent, etc.

40 Pythons without even knowing if they are allowed or not? I happily rent and can't imagine keeping that many in a rental. Good luck OP but that is way overboard IMHO.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Question, if you don't mind me asking, is that your mother or..?

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Was. 35 years and still waiting.
I have an idea of who did it and I will find out when he gets paroled again.

To help get this back on track, I have been in this situation before, and it will be imperative to determine what your rights are and figure out what's in the lease. Had I been as smart then about it as I am now, things would have gone differently. But I was younger, the internet only barely existed, and I got bullied into getting rid of some of the animals and having to hide others. All because of a maintenance guy who was afraid of them. And they absolutely do have a right to come in and inspect, but here at least they have to give notice and I believe you can require that you be present.

Wow. This thread just blew up. I have bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder but I would NEVER use that as ammunition to keep my snakes in this manner. The OP didn't tell the landlord about his snakes so now he must face his consequences. Do I think I am disabled due to my mental status, nope. I get through each day by taking my meds and also by relying on therapy and a good support system. Yes my animals do help but I would not keep my animals if my landlord told me that they have to go. I would be responsible and rehome them.

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Wow. This thread just blew up. I have bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder but I would NEVER use that as ammunition to keep my snakes in this manner. The OP didn't tell the landlord about his snakes so now he must face his consequences. Do I think I am disabled due to my mental status, nope. I get through each day by taking my meds and also by relying on therapy and a good support system. Yes my animals do help but I would not keep my animals if my landlord told me that they have to go. I would be responsible and rehome them.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Was. 35 years and still waiting.
I have an idea of who did it and I will find out when he gets paroled again.

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She still IS your mother! But that's awful.:/

Please don't use problems that other people actually have to make excuses as to why you (or someone else) should be some sort of exception. OP needs to own up to his mistakes and deal with the consequences and move on. I don't lease or rent any property but I find it extremely disrespectful to the owner to do something like keep 40 snakes without even checking to see if it's allowed.

I'm in school for and (about to graduate) in psychology, if that means anything.

Because one person goes through amazing hardship and doesn't have PTSD and someone else goes through less and does...that doesn't mean anything. I was in a severe and violent car accident and experienced head trauma among other things, and I was diagnosed with PTSD. That situation was lesser than, in the words of another member, picking up the body parts of my friends who died in battle. My experience and her husbands experience are mutually exclusive; they have nothing to do with one another, and therefore cannot validify OR invalidate one another. I use her example simply to describe someone who has experienced a lot and suffers for it, and personally, had I been in her husband's shoes, I would be a wreck after experiencing the trials of war.

PTSD is associated with war because many, many veterans experience it for extremely obvious reasons. But PTSD is simply showing several symptoms or reactions to a traumatic event; it's a person's abnormal or debilitating response to anything traumatic. "Trauma" is somewhat relative, the actual definition includes virtually anything traumatic, but people's definition of it and what they consider to be traumatic is often relative to their own experiences. A person might be traumatized by seeing a dead body, but an EMT who sees dead and dying people often might think little of it. And because some people have "had it worse" than others, but handle it better, they are quick to assume others should not be as affected as they are when experiencing "lesser" trauma. My grandfather was in Vietnam. He had minimal mental damage, and what he did bring back from the war he was able to work through quickly. He was a pilot. He thinks the soldiers (often ground soldiers who I'm sure saw so much more than he did) must all be faking and exaggerating thier debilitating PTSD because he himself did not experience it. Which is unfair, but also a common rational. "I'm okay, and you should be too."

PTSD is easy enough to fake or exaggerate. That doesn't make it any less real for the people who experience it. Someone who has less severe PTSD symptoms in response to more trauma naturally might resent one who has more severe PTSD to less trauma. It's a natural feeling, but it's not fair either. Everyone's threashold for what pain they can take mentally and physically differs significantly, and no one person is the same. One person might be able to live through a genocide and re-adjust to society, while someone else might crack under what seems like nothing.

And that's all I have to say about that.

On a new note, to actually work the system and say you need therapy pets, you have to actually find a professional willing to put that on paper for you. Working the system can be easy, but it can also be hard. Many people who get things like that, disability, etc have been in the system already for some time and have documentation of what does and does not work for them. The person who said she has BPD and therapy pets probably (correct me if I'm wrong) has been documented with these problems for some time and probably was already recieving care or therapy. Perhaps having therapy pets was an idea a therapist even brought up. I'd be prepared, should you take that route (that I don't condone if it's not true), be prepared for at least several therapist visits, being asked to try meds and alternative treaments first, etc. expect it to be an expensive route, even if only paying co-pays.

Good luck, whatever route you take.