Animal Assistance

Assistance Animal Policy - Lease Addendum

In accordance with federal law and HUD regulations, residents of federally funded housing for the elderly, persons with disabilities, or families shall not be prohibited from owning and keeping assistance animals. Once the Newberry Housing Authority (NHA) has approved a resident's request for an assistance animal, the Residents must sign a lease addendum. Contact our office for the Lease Addendum, by clicking here.

Animals that assist persons with disabilities are subject to the provisions of the Assistant Animal Policy Lease Addendum. Assistance animals are animals that work, aid, or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or animals that provide emotional support that alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. Assistance animals are a type of reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. As such, documentation to demonstrate the connection between the benefit that the animal provides and the needs of the person is necessary.

It is the resident's responsibility to ensure that your assistance animal is registered with the Management office.
Each resident shall be responsible for the proper care of the animal, including, but not limited to, good nutrition, grooming, routine veterinary care, flea control, routine inoculations, and compliance with all City, County, State and Federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations, and anti-cruelty laws and regulations.
All assistance animals must be registered with the Management office immediately, but not later than ten (10) days following their introduction to the community. Such registration shall consist of providing the following:
1. Basic information about the animal (type, age, description, name, etc.)
2. Provide a picture of the animal for identification purposes.
3. All dogs and cats shall be inoculated and licensed; owners shall provide veterinarian-written verification of inoculations against rabies and certification of spay or neuter.
4. Proof that the inoculations and license of the animal shall be verified annually.
5. All dogs and cats shall be spayed or neutered, and owners shall provide a veterinarian certification of spaying or neutering.
6. The animal owner's signature on a copy of this Assistance Animal Policy.
The resident shall keep the unit and surrounding areas free of animal odors, insect infestations, waste, and litter related to their assistance animal and maintain the unit in a sanitary condition at all times.
Each resident shall be responsible for cleaning up after their animal anywhere on Housing Authority property, including carrying a "pooper scooper" and/or disposable plastic bag anytime the assistance animal is outside of the unit. Residents owning a cat shall maintain a waterproof litter box for cat waste. Litter boxes shall not be allowed to become unsightly or unsanitary. All animal waste, including litter, shall be double-bagged and disposed of in the outside garbage can or dumpster. No animal waste shall be put down a trash chute or disposed of in the toilet. Any resident who cannot clean up waste must arrange to have the animal waste removed immediately, properly, and completely.
Assistance Animals shall be kept under the owner's control at all times. No animal in any community shall be allowed loose in the common areas of the building or grounds. When outside the unit, animals must be accompanied by their owner and restrained with a leash or tethered properly. The animal may be tethered within the resident's yard or patio (but not in the public patio in the case of a high-rise or apartment complex without individual yards or patios). Tethering in a yard is permitted only in such a manner as to not cause harm to the animal and will not cause erosion or excessive wear to the lawn. An animal may be tethered by a harness. Animals may not be tethered by the neck. No "dog runs" are permitted. Animals other than dogs and cats shall be in a suitable portable cage when outside the unit.
Each resident shall maintain their animal in such a manner as to prevent any damage to their unit, common areas, and the grounds of the community in which they live.
No animals shall be groomed in the public areas of the community, to include common area patios, gardens, etc.
Assistance animals may accompany the owner in all areas where the owner is allowed to go.
Each resident shall maintain their animal in such a manner as to prevent the animal from being a nuisance or a threat to the health or safety of NHA employees, the public, or other residents in the community by reason of noise, unpleasant odors, or other objectionable situations. Assistance animals shall not be allowed to annoy other residents by making prolonged or constant noise that can be heard outside the unit at any time of the day or night.
No animal shall be abandoned when the resident vacates.
The resident shall pay promptly, upon receipt of a bill, for all materials and/or labor for repair of any damage caused by his or her assistance animal.
Cruelty to animals is a violation of state and local law and is a violation of this Assistance Animal Policy. Beating, neglecting, or otherwise harming an animal in your care may be grounds for the termination of your lease.

In the event a resident cannot care for his or her assistance animal due to an illness, absence, or death and no other person can be found to care for the animal, and after 24 hours have elapsed, the resident hereby gives permission for the animal to be released to Newberry Animal Control in accordance with their procedures. In no case shall NHA incur any costs or liability for the care of an assistance animal placed in the care of another individual or agency under this procedure.

Note: This policy is an addendum between the head of household and the Newberry Housing Authority and needs to be signed only if an assistance animal is approved for the household.