As I’ve told countless applicants: it depends on the pet.
A single cat, or a single dog – sure, no problem. But eight cats, or two big dogs? That doesn’t work, not in our apartments.
We’ve had success allowing pets, but I understand that not every landlord has. We allow pets in our apartments because it provides us a marketing edge over other landlords. We have two types of apartment design: one for people who are downsizing, and the other for young professionals just starting out. A number of our tenants have lap-dogs for companionship and I never had the heart to tell them that they could move in, but without their dog. (Now, I am also absolutely a dog person and know that plays into my decision.) Some other tenants have cats for companionship – I don’t understand cats, but I will let them in our apartments.
Now, I don’t let just any dog in. I tell any prospect that I want to meet their dog before they move in, and that their dog needs to pass an “interview” before they’re accepted. I tend not to “interview” cats – they’re not generally going to bother anyone else.
There have been two times where I have told someone they can’t move in with their dog. Both times it has been because they were pit-bull type dogs. I love dogs, and know that pit-bulls can be the most loving and pet friendly animals around. However, with our typical tenant being seniors, I was not willing to let in any dog that may cause fear amongst other tenants. One of the tenants moved somewhere else, and the other moved in to our apartment after giving their dog to their son.
We have a specific pet policy that all pet owners must sign as an addendum to their lease. This covers the expectations we have for pet owners: picking up after your dog, not leaving them tied outside unattended, and being responsible for any damage. The tenants must sign this, and provide us the basic information on their pet:
- name
- age
- breed
- gender
- basic medical information: vaccinations, elective gonadectomy (in my research for this article, I learned that this is the gender-neutral word for spaying/neutering – really!)
- where they got the pet
- how long they have had the animal
I have debated charging an extra $10/month for a cat and $20/dog, but have held off. I would increase the security deposit because someone has a pet, but this is not permitted in our jurisdiction. Has anyone out there had any luck charging more for pets or a pet deposit? Let me know what you did and how it went in the comments.