It is so good to hear that your condo board has agreed to TNR. Cruelty to animals is against the law. That includes poisoning or otherwise needlessly injuring or killing an animal. Consider distributing fliers that state that cruelty to animals is a crime and persons violating this law will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Fliers educating people about the positive effects of TNR may also help. You may want to ask your condo if you could install security cameras. I don’t know the cost of this but if you do proceed with cameras, signs indicating that there is surveillance should help deter acts of cruelty.

Below is a pertinent part of New Jersey’s animal cruelty law:

N.J.S.A. 4:22-17.

Cruelty; disorderly persons offense

a. A person who shall:

(1) Overdrive, overload, drive when overloaded, overwork, deprive of necessary sustenance, abuse, or needlessly kill a living animal or creature;

(2) Cause or procure , by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done; or

(3) Inflict unnecessary cruelty upon a living animal or creature, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature; or unnecessarily fail to provide a living animal or creature of which the person has charge either as an owner or otherwise with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather ; or leave it unattended in a vehicle under inhumane conditions adverse to the health or welfare of the living animal or creature--

Shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense, and notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3 to the contrary, for every such offense shall be fined not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for a term of not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court. A violator of this subsection shall also be subject to the provisions of subsection c. and, if appropriate, subsection d. of this section.

b. A person who shall purposely, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1) Torment, torture, maim, hang, poison, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, or needlessly mutilate a living animal or creature; or

(2) Cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done--

Shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

If the animal or creature is cruelly killed or dies as a result of a violation of this subsection, or the person has a prior conviction for a violation of this subsection, the person shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.

Hopefully the letters from your doctor and bereavement counselor will convince the condo to give you permission to have a dog. If the condo does not give permission after receiving the letters, you can file a complaint with HUD, www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfm or 800-669-9777. You may wish to hire an attorney to assist you if your condo is uncooperative. As I have mentioned in prior responses in the column, housing discrimination based on a person’s disability is illegal. The Fair Housing Act protects the right of people with disabilities, including emotional disabilities, to keep animals even if such person has a no-pet lease. Essentially, landlords must make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, and practices to afford a disabled person with the opportunity to enjoy his/her dwelling. Often a letter from a physician or therapist stating that the tenant has a disability which limits a major life activity and that a support animal is needed for the tenant to use and enjoy the dwelling is sufficient.