Co-op City housing complex in Bronx has been fined $85,000 for not allowing clinically depressed residents to keep emotional-support dogs.
The company that manages the housing complex was fined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for denying two clinically depressed residents their pets.
Co-op City has a strict no-dog policy, but federal law requires housing providers to make accommodations for disabled residents.
According to HUD official, that emotional-support pets do not different from service dogs for blind people or otherwise disabled individuals.
A lawyer for the management company says the firm adopted a new policy in December that has led to more accommodation requests being granted.
