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Depression, Therapy Pets?

I have depression pretty bad, it is affecting my weight, and how I interact with my family, friends, and anyone around me. It was not as bad when I had pets, I could always cuddle or interact with them. Now I live in California in an apartment that does not allow animals. It is a very small desolate place that I hate. Is there any way a therapist could perscribe a therapy pet for me? My grandmother has a therapy pet, and no landlords can turn her out because she has special papers from her therapist. Is there any way I could go about getting the same thing?

Public Comments

1. I have found that growing plants from seeds helps my depression. It is gratifying to see a plant grow, as you take care of it. :-) Perhaps a therapy fish? Good luck!
2. I have 2 cats and they help me a lot when I feel bad. If you like cats, I highly recommend you getting one. One of my cats is so sweet that every time I am lying on my bed, she comes and cuddles next to me and puts her paws in such way that seems to be hugging me. I have a great connection with my cats, I talk to them and that helps me a lot in bad times.
3. I was very depressed in high school and having a cat really helped me get through it. Is there any way you could move to an apartment that allows pets? I recommend getting a young kitten or 2 so that they can bond well with you. Kittens are so cute and can also make you laugh with their antics.
4. I'm trying to figure out the same thing about my current living situation. I basically did a yahoo search for "federal Fair Housing Amendments Act California" and got a bunch of different pages (law offices, state pages, non-profits, etc.) that all pretty much state the same info: The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act protect the right of people with disabilities to keep emotional support animals, even when a landlord's policy explicitly prohibits pets. Because emotional support and service animals are not "pets," but rather are considered to be more like assistive aids such as wheelchairs, the law will generally require the landlord to make an exception to its "no pet" policy so that a tenant with a disability can fully use and enjoy his or her dwelling. In most housing complexes, so long as the tenant has a letter or prescription from an appropriate professional, such as a therapist or physician, and meets the definition of a person with a disability, he or she is entitled to a reasonable accommodation that would allow an emotional support animal in the apartment. From what I've pieced together, mental illnesses that interfere with your daily life are covered under the fair housing act and as long as you get a letter or "prescription for therapy animal " from your doctor, your landlord will have to set aside their pet policy for you. You can also call your local housing authority for help informing your landlord of your need for a pet. I hope this helps, and good luck.