A Quebec woman suffering with chronic depression and social anxiety may be forced to give up her dog or move out unless she can prove to her condo board that the dog is an emotional support animal — something experts say is challenging as most provinces, including Quebec, have no standards for this certification.
Sarah Michaud-Allard, 28, adopted Princess — a two-year-old Husky mix — from Montreal’s SPCA in February, after her family doctor recommended she get a dog to help with her declining mental health.
At that point, she’d reached the limit of medication she could take for depression, anxiety and other psychological issues.
“[I was] at my lowest. I’ve been off work for almost a year now because of my mental health,” said Michaud-Allard, sitting on her couch with Princess by her side in her Saint-Jérôme, Que., condo.
As soon as the dog entered her life, things started