Ryan Boylan of Clearwater Beach, Fla., has suffered from PTSD ever since he was in a car accident in 2004. Last year, in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, Boylan rescued a squirrel that was trapped under a car. He kept her and named her Brutis. The two of them have become inseparable.
Last summer, Boylan registered Brutis as his emotional support animal. He said the squirrel behaves much like a cat inside the condo they share. "I mean, oh my God, I can’t imagine not being around her,” he said.
But now Boylan is having to imagine just that. Last spring, after property managers discovered Brutis running up a tree when a dog chased her, the Island Walk Condominiums Association gave Boylan an ultimatum: Get rid of Brutis or move out.
The squirrel is a wild animal and puts other residents at risk, the condo association said.
Boylan contacted the local Office of Human Rights, which sent a letter to the condo association informing them that they were violating the Fair Housing Act. This act recognizes emotion support animals as assistance animals that are "reasonable accommodation" for people with a disability.
The case is currently pending. While it's never recommended to keep wild animals as pets, Brutis seems to be well taken care of, isn't hurting anyone and would probably have difficulty acclimating if she was returned to the wild. Most importantly, she's doing a good job of providing Boylan with the emotional support he needs.
Please sign and share this petition telling the Island Walk Condominiums Association to let Boylan keep his emotional support squirrel.
Photo credit: WFLA News Channel 8 Facebook Page
