HOA warned disabled man to re-home his service dog, so he pulled out the law book and schooled them
'Bring it on, sister, let's play...' he said.
The Homeowners Association (HOA), a governing body responsible for creating and enforcing rules to maintain harmony in a residential community, seems to have forgotten its actual duties. Now, instead of working in favor of the community, they make random rules to assert their authority. Quinn Pratt (@officialquinnpratt5), a man with special needs from Dallas, had a similar negative experience with the HOA when he was asked to "rehome" his service dog because, apparently, German Shepherds are dangerous. Pratt didn't panic; in fact, he pulled out the book of law, leaving the association red-faced. He posted the incident on Instagram, where several followers flocked to applaud his bravery.
Pratt was born with a condition called "bilateral clubfoot," where his feet had turned almost upside down. Despite facing challenges, he didn't let his limitations define him, and built a dignified life with his family and Riley, his adorable service dog. Once, he was walking his German Shepherd when the HOA saw him and issued a notice the next morning. In the letter, the HOA mentioned that there were certain dog breeds that they didn't allow in the community, and his pet was among them. "These dogs tend to be aggressive and are dangerous for everyone around them," she said. The association pretended to be empathetic and offered to help Pratt rehome his dog because they worked with shelters and animal rescues. The man laughed because he knew the HOA couldn't really dictate what breed of service dog one should have. So he sent a sarcastic yet polite email to the HOA lady and informed her that he wasn't going to rehome Riley as he was his service animal. "As such, he is protected by the [Americans with Disabilities Act] (ADA), which superseded any rule, regulation, or community law that you choose to enforce," he added. The matter didn't end right there, as the HOA lady responded with another notice, asking Pratt to prove that his dog was a service animal.
Pratt didn't want to argue with the HOA any longer, so he decided to send a picture of his legs, showing his disability, his middle finger, and wrote, "Here's all the proof you need." In a follow-up video, he explained how the matter had still not been resolved, and the HOA suggested they would send someone to check what Riley performs for him. "Send whoever the hell you want, because I am not forcing my dog to demonstrate what his job is," Pratt said. The HOA then asked him to ensure that his dog always wore a service animal vest, but when Pratt refused to follow their instruction, the HOA said they would take the matter to their legal team. "Bring it on, sister, let's play," he concluded. While he handled the situation well, Pratt isn't the only one to have a negative experience involving an HOA.
A survey by Rocket Mortgage of over 1,000 American homeowners revealed that 31% of respondents aren't happy because they feel their HOAs have too much power over them. In fact, 10% of homeowners are so frustrated with the association that they have even considered selling their home.
Pratt's reel went viral, with netizens calling out the association. While some people questioned the HOA's audacity to comment on his dog, others confessed they would never buy a house within an HOA-governed neighborhood. For instance, @merribk commented, "I wouldn’t even buy a house within an HOA. Why do people keep buying houses with the house police? Is it because they have the audacity to tell people what they can and cannot do for something that they bought? HOA buys its audacity on wholesale."
@ioscajoseph wrote, "Whether a service animal or not, the HOA cannot tell you what kind of dog you can have in your house or on your property." @caden_kochevar commented, "That’s their (HOA) fault for not saying anything or giving you a list of animals that are not allowed in the HOA when you were looking at the house."
You can follow Quinn Pratt (@officialquinnpratt5) on Instagram and (@quinnpratt5) TikTok for lifestyle content.
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