Screening tenants with pets: a landlord’s pet policy checklist

The short version

Decide your pet policy before you list, write it down, and ask every applicant the same pet questions on the application. Screen the pet owner the same way you screen anyone else, then add a short pet check: what animal, how many, pet references, and proof of vaccinations or licensing where your area requires it. Put the terms in a signed pet addendum. Treat service animal and emotional support animal requests separately: they are disability accommodation requests, not pets.

Step 1: Write the pet policy before you list

• Pets allowed, not allowed, or case by case. Say it in the listing so the right applicants apply.
• Which animals and how many (for example, up to two cats or dogs).
• Any size, weight, or breed limits, and whether your landlord insurance requires them.
• Pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent amounts, only as your state allows.
• A line that assistance animals are handled as accommodation requests, not under the pet policy.

Step 2: Ask the same pet questions on every application

• Will any animals live in or regularly visit the unit? What type, breed, age, and weight?
• How long have you had the animal, and where did it live before?
• Is it spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and licensed where your city or county requires it?
• Who cares for the animal when you travel or work long shifts?
• Any complaints, damage, or bite history at a past rental?

Step 3: Screen the person first, then the pet

Run your normal screening criteria (income, rental history, credit, references) the same way for every applicant. Then add a short pet check:

• Call the previous landlord and ask about the animal specifically: damage, noise, complaints.
• Ask for a vet record or vaccination proof if your policy requires it.
• Meet the animal if you allow pets case by case, and apply the same standard to everyone.
• Write down why you approved or denied, so your decision is consistent and documented.

Step 4: Put it in a pet addendum

A one- or two-page pet addendum signed by every adult on the lease should cover:

• The specific animal (name, type, breed, color, weight) and that no other animals are approved.
• Any pet deposit, fee, or rent, and how the deposit is handled at move-out.
• Waste cleanup, leash rules, noise, and keeping the animal off shared areas if needed.
• Responsibility for damage beyond normal wear and tear.
• Renter’s insurance with liability coverage, if you require it.
• What happens if an unapproved animal moves in.

Step 5: Handle service and emotional support animals separately

Under the federal Fair Housing Act, refusing a reasonable accommodation a person with a disability needs can be discrimination. A request for an assistance animal is that kind of request, so the pet policy does not apply to it. In practice:

• A request can come at any time: on the application, after approval, or mid-lease. It does not have to use any special words.
• If the disability or the need is not obvious, you can generally ask for reliable supporting information. Do not ask for a diagnosis or medical records.
• Do not charge a pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent for an assistance animal. The tenant is still responsible for actual damage.
• Size, weight, and breed limits for pets generally do not apply. A specific animal that is a direct threat or would cause substantial damage can be treated differently, based on that animal’s behavior, not its breed.
• Respond in writing and keep a copy of the request, what you asked for, and your answer.
• Many states have their own rules on ESA documentation, and some penalize fake ESA letters. Check your state.

Step 6: Document the unit for move-out

Whether it is a pet or an assistance animal, a dated move-in inspection with photos is what lets you charge for real damage later. Do the same walk-through at move-out, deduct only for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and send an itemized statement on your state’s deadline.

Mistakes to avoid

• Saying “no pets” and then refusing an assistance animal request without reviewing it.
• Asking for a diagnosis or a specific form your state does not require.
• Charging a pet deposit for an assistance animal.
• Approving one applicant’s dog and rejecting another’s similar dog without a written reason.
• Non-renewing a tenant because they asked for an accommodation, which can be treated as retaliation.

Official places to check the rules

Pet deposits and fees are set by state law. Assistance animals fall under federal, state, and sometimes city fair housing law. Start here:

• Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3604 — see (f)(3)(B), reasonable accommodations (Cornell LII)
• 24 CFR 100.204: reasonable accommodations — HUD regulation (Cornell LII)
• 42 U.S.C. 3603: Fair Housing Act exemptions — the narrow small-owner exemptions
• Federal Register: HUD withdrawal of FHEO guidance documents — includes the 2020 and 2013 assistance-animal notices
• ADA.gov: service animal requirements — how the ADA defines a service animal
• USA.gov: find your state attorney general — many publish landlord-tenant guides

Make it a system

In the Navy we ran things off a checklist, because a checklist treats everyone the same. Pet screening works the same way: one written policy, the same questions for every applicant, a signed addendum, and a separate, by-the-book process for assistance animals.