A Massachusetts man living with HIV/AIDS has won his battle (for the moment) against his Brighton landlord that ordered him to get rid of his emotional support dog or move.

The Boston Globe reports that Richard M. Blake was advised by his doctor to get a support dog because they can help lift a patient’s mood and improve their mental and physical health. Blake brought a dog home in May 2008 and two months later he received a letter (sent to all tenants) that a no-pet policy would be put in effect for the Brighton Gardens building on Tremont Street beginning that October.

Blake ended up filing a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) in December 2008 after his unsuccessful attempts to get the landlords to accommodate his disability. In what some see as a landmark ruling, the commission ordered the landlords to pay Blake $25,000 for refusing to accommodate him. The landlords will also have to pay a $5,000 fine “given their utter intransigence” in refusing to discuss a “reasonable accommodation” with Blake, the Globe reports.

For some, pets can be a hot-button issue when it comes to rental housing. The Brighton landlords have said they will appeal this decision, but what do you think? I’d like to hear your opinion on this topic.