WFLA-TV screenshot

A Clearwater Beach, Fla., condo association has given a resident with an unusual emotional-support pet an ultimatum: Get rid of the squirrel or get the boot.




Ryan Boylan rescued his rodent squirrel, Brutis, during Hurricane Matthew, and like Celie and Nettie from The Color Purple, they cannot be apart. But Brutis isn’t welcome at the Island Walk Condominium.

“Ever since then, I mean, oh my god, I can’t imagine not being around her,” Boylan said, according to WFLA-TV.


The board classifies Boylan’s pet as an “exotic” animal and says it was never informed that Boylan was keeping the pet in the condo. Attorneys for the condo association also say that Boylan is living in the unit as a tenant without permission or approval from the association.

“I was very sad that [the unit owner] had to basically push every single limitation that he could to try and get me out because of Brutis,” Boylan said.

Apparently Boylan was able to receive an emotional-support classification for his squirrel simply by visiting RegisterMyServiceAnimal.com after his doctor gave him a note say that he had post-traumatic stress syndrome as the result of a car accident. But the association contends that this was done after it told Boylan that the pet was prohibited.


The condo association says that having the squirrel as a pet could be a liability, while Boylan states that he’s being discriminated against. He had the Pinellas County, Fla., Office of Human Rights submit a letter to the association stating that the Fair Housing Act protects emotional-support animals.

It’s all fun and games until little Brutis bites you and gives you rabies.

Read more at WFLA-TV.