Florida Man Faces Eviction Over Emotional-Support Squirrel

A Clearwater Beach, Fla. man who has a support squirrel is facing eviction as he fights to keep the animal.

Ryan Boylan and his squirrel Brutis have been inseparable since he rescued her during Hurricane Matthew last year, reports WFLA. He had no problem living with Brutis at Island Walk Condominiums, until property management found out about her in April when a dog chased her up a tree.

The condo association filed a complaint, since exotic animals aren't allowed and Boylan never told the board about her. Last month, they told him to let the squirrel go or be evicted.

"I was very sad that he had to basically push every single limitation that he could to try and get me out because of Brutis," Boylan told WFLA.

Attorneys for the property management company say Boylan didn't file any papers to prove that Brutis is an emotional support animal until this summer.

WFLA obtained a doctor's note from Boylan's doctor, which was not written until July. According to the note, Boylan has a history with "functional limitations imposed by his emotional/mental health related to suffering from post traumatic stress disorder."

The doctor prescribed an emotional support animal, writing, "The presence of the animal(s) is necessary for the emotional/mental health of Ryan Boylan because its presence will mitigate the symptoms he is currently experiencing."

Boylan has the support of the Florida Office of Human Rights, which sent the association a letter citing the Fair Housing Act that protects emotional support animals.

Boylan's case is still pending.

"I am not sure how any animal that weighs less than 2 pounds can harm anyone," Boylan told ABC Action News. "There's absolutely no way I would give her up."

Photo: WFLA