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Can a Doctor Perscribe a Pet for my son with ADHD?

04 Oct 2008

4 Oct, 2008  adhd doctors

My 9 year old son has ADHD and I have noticed that when he is around Dogs he is so much more calm, I really think that he would do great with an older mellow dog but the place that I live does not allow pets. Does anyone know if a doctor can give a perscription to my son for a Dog? I have heard of this before but I have not been able to find any information on this issue, any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance!
I think if my son has a perscription for a dog the owner of the house I rent has to let him have a dog, I live in a 4 bedroom house with lots of room.

Yes, doctors can prescribe pets for therapeutic reasons. They don't actually give you a pet they write a note that says you need to have a pet and why. Your doctor will probably had his nurse write a short letter explaining the reason for the prescription. I went to college with a lady that has a cat. Her landlord wouldn't let her have a pet so she got a note from her doctor saying she needed the cat for therapy reasons. So the landlord had to allow the cat.

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5 Responses

  1. Mandy S

    2007 Jan 24 1

    Your doctor could suggest it as a change in lifestyle, but no, your doctor can't really "prescribe" a pet.

    "Prescriptions" are usually things actually governed by the FDA.

    If you feel this way about it, though, you may have to move. While your landlord would probably have to make exceptions for specially trained dogs used to help with the immediate day-to-day needs and safety of people with disabilities (for example, seeing-eye dogs, or dogs specially trained to help epilepsy patients), since your son is able to function without the dog, I don't think your landlord would have to change policy.
    References :

  2. Serinity4u2find

    2007 Jan 24 2

    Yes, doctors can prescribe pets for therapeutic reasons. They don't actually give you a pet they write a note that says you need to have a pet and why. Your doctor will probably had his nurse write a short letter explaining the reason for the prescription. I went to college with a lady that has a cat. Her landlord wouldn't let her have a pet so she got a note from her doctor saying she needed the cat for therapy reasons. So the landlord had to allow the cat.
    References :

  3. Froggie

    2007 Jan 24 3

    Ask your doctor if he/she will write a note that says that it would be helpful for your son to have a dog.
    References :

  4. Kimmy Kandde

    2007 Jan 24 4

    Maybe they can prescribe pet therapy but I doubt any doctor would prescribe a dog for your household.
    References :

  5. AleksMama

    2007 Jan 24 5

    You could ask your doctor to perscribe the Dog, along with a note explaining the reasoning. Give it to your landlord and tell him/her your son has a disability and your doctor thinks having a dog will help. Be willing to offer them a decent deposit (maybe more than you feel is reasonable) and an enrollement form showing that you will enroll the dog in obdience school and give them the certificate of completion.

    In the end, pretty much the worst he or she will say is No. (Or maybe No Way.) Then, if you still wanted the dog, you could look for a place that will allow dogs. But it wouldn't hurt to at least try.
    References :


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