My fiance owns an apartment building, and I have been working for
apartment management companies for the past four years. Unfortunately,
there is nothing you can do unless they will allow you to pay the
deposit they charge for cats (assuming they still do). Since your
lease states you don't own a pet, you are not allowed to have one
in your apartment. Your good behavior with Fred won't help you if new
management doesn't want him there. Normally, a management company
with enough units to keep them busy doesn't bother residents who have
unauthorized pets provided they are picking up after it and don't
have complaints about barking or violent dogs.

You can check government websites to see if there are any laws
regarding ownership changes. Perhaps you will be allowed to stay
until the end of your lease.

There is one law that may help you. It's a national law, part of Fair
Housing. Animals can be classified as service animals rather than pets.
If you can get a doctor to agree that he will testify under oath that
you need Fred for emotional support, they cannot evict you for having
him. (Be careful not to get another ferret. Usually only one pet can
be considered a service animal unless one is a seeing eye dog and one
is a seizure-detecting dog, etc.) If you live alone and never had kids,
you could probably say that Fred is the child you never had. Basically,
a doctor has to say that should Fred be taken away from you, your
emotional health would be at risk. Normally, they do not actually have
to go to court. They just have to sign something saying they would. You
have to have a diagnosable issue, but with the numerous problems people
face and the numerous diagnosed conditions, I'm sure you'll have
something. I'm sure I would be suicidal if someone took my ferrets
away.

http://hum.wa.gov/FAQ/FAQServiceAnimal.html

Natalie Fontane

[Posted in FML 7465]