Mentally ill woman wins $300,000 in case against apartment pet policy

Contributed by Rosie Cisneros

For animal lovers, apartment pet policies often mean sifting through the options to find one that fits their needs best.

But when a Michigan woman couldn’t have a dog in her apartment, she didn’t take the typical route by searching for another place with different policies. She sued. Joyce Grad, who suffers from bipolar disorder, moved into a complex with a no-pet policy in place. She claimed her dog is her life, and most people living with emotional disorders do better with pets.

The waiving of no-pet policies isn’t unusual to see for deaf or blind tenants, in many apartments. The complex, however, announced a refusal to waive their policies for Grad before she moved in. Despite such prior notice, she was awarded more than $300,000 after taking them to court.