Can my landlady really do that?

[SugarBum42]

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

I had a service dog because I have epilepsy. I signed a lease a year ago and the dog was in the lease. But on June 27, 2024 I come home from a doctor's appointment and my service dog is dead. My landlady killed it. Stating she didn't want no dogs in the building and now she is saying it is because the rent is past due. I am in PA and want to know if my landlady can really do that. I mean kill my service dog because of not wanting dogs in the building or because my rent is past due.

 

[Zigner]

Killing your dog for these reasons is not legal.

When you reported this to the police, what did they say?
If you haven't reported this to the police, why not?

EDIT: Why didn't your dog accompany you to your appointment?

 

[zddoodah]

my service dog is dead. My landlady killed it. Stating she didn't want no dogs in the building and now she is saying it is because the rent is past due.

So...your landlady actually admitted to you that she killed your dog for the reasons stated? What happened when you called the police about this?

I am in PA and want to know if my landlady can really do that.

If she did it, then it should be obvious that she can do it, but I doubt that's the question you intended to ask, and I would hope it obvious that killing a dog for any reason other than self-defense is a crime.

Why didn't your dog accompany you to your appointment?

That's a darn good question.

 

[Red Kayak]

I had a service dog because I have epilepsy. I signed a lease a year ago and the dog was in the lease. But on June 27, 2024 I come home from a doctor's appointment and my service dog is dead. My landlady killed it. Stating she didn't want no dogs in the building and now she is saying it is because the rent is past due. I am in PA and want to know if my landlady can really do that. I mean kill my service dog because of not wanting dogs in the building or because my rent is past due.

Can she? Obviously, yes, since she did.

Legally, can she without consequences? No. Report to the police AND contact the ASPCA.

Fight animal cruelty, 866-601-SPCA

What she can be charged with varies, depending on how her actions resulted in your dog's death. For example, there is specific code addressing the injury/death of service animals, but that seems to only apply to dog owners whose dogs cause injury/death of the service animal.

Pennsylvania animal cruelty code.

The legally correct way to address your alleged nonpayment of rent is to serve you with a pay or quit notice and proceed towards the eviction process. Destruction of property is not a legally acceptable tactic in the eviction process.