I only allow dogs and it is a case by case decision. Nothing like Doberman or German Shepard. Mainly dogs under 25#. But I do require renters insurance and have me named as secondary covered. In the instance a neighbor comes over and sticks their finger through the fence and gets bit, the renters insurance kicks in first protecting us the rental owner before we would have to file a claim. Besides, renters insurance is very advantageous for landlords and is a great thing to require!

I agree with the 25 pound dog rule. It keeps out aggressive breeds.

I do think you are relying too heavily on the renters having or keeping insurance. Short of having them produce proof of insurance every year, you can't be assured they do have a policy in effect. Plus, if that neighbor gets bit you are also getting sued (don't fool yourself).

Thanks for your note Scott. I do allow pets in my rentals, but just ask for an extra deposit. I hope this helps! Thanks for sharing.

i charge my tenant $500 in additional deposit when they moved in, I have wooden floors so i'm not too worried about the cats

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How many of you have had to tear up carpet and padding to eliminate pet odor?

Not carpeting and padding, but had to totally sand and refinish hardwood floors after evicting a guy with 7 cats.

I allow it on a case by case basis..A non refundable pet deposit is always required.

If they're renting one of my houses with a fenced yard, I allow dogs. But, no Rottweilers, no Pit Bulls, no Dobermans. And the dog has to make friends with me!

Cats are welcome at all my places; and caged birds and fish too.

I do not charge pet deposits. If someone in 2nd floor triplex apt. gets a dog after moving in, that's grounds for terminating the lease. And I'll take them to small claims court if necessary.

Have had minimal to no pet damage so far, and have been renting to pet owners for 5 years this time around (had rentals in the 80s then quit for 10 yrs).

We allow dogs under 25lbs. 1 month non refundable pet deposit per dog with a maximum of 2. It makes it much easier for us to find good tenants that are less likely to leave because they have difficulty finding other rents that will allow pets.

What exactly do you mean by non refundable?

In Ontario, we have to allow pets in any rental unit. Any agreement with a "no pets" clause is completely voidable by law.
We are also not allowed to charge deposits. We can only ask for one term rent at signing (a week or month's rent) instead of "first or last". Our only recourse is to sue for damages after the fact.
It's interesting to see the difference in my American counterparts. You can check out our legalities for rentals at http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06r17_e.htm if you are interested.

I own numerous rental properties myself. When I purchased my first rental property I thought "no pets" just made sense, so that became my policy. I've been renting properties for 13 years now and I've rethought my initial policy. I do allow pets with guidelines. I must meet the pet first. I always insist that the tenant use a local vet and provide copies of all health records, recent vacinations etc. on a yearly basis. I do charge a pet deposit fee around $300, which can be refundable should the pet not cause any damage. If the property has carpet, I will make a portion of the pet deposit non-refundable as carpet will definitely need professionally cleaned...maybe not from the pet using the bathroom in the home, but pets feet can track dirt into the home.

I have found that tenants with pets seem to stay in my rental properties much longer then tenants without pets. I set strict guidelines on yard cleanup, noise, odors, leash, etc. I've not have any issues since leasing units to pet owners. I would insist on meeting the pet before making a decision to rent to the pet owner. Someone may tell you they have a beagle mix that turns out to be a pitbull mix.

My wife worked at the local humane society so we learned alot about pet behavior patterns. It is fairly simple to gauge the reactions you get from the pet to certain actions you can present to the pet. This will tell you if the pet has agressive habits etc. I would suggest you visit with the humane society and ask for a copy of their pet behavior test checklist. These are usually very indepth and will give you some guidance as to what steps you might take to help determine if the pet is agressive. You may also want to make a habit of asking for any pet graduation certificates from obedience schools etc. This usually lets you know that the pet parent is a good parent and concerned about the behaviour of their pet.

We allow cats, dogs, and fish but not ferrets. Seriously. Our tenants can even have as many fish as they want! We charge a $25 fee per pet and an additional $100 security deposit per pet.

I am currently working on a quality rehab and for that property I won't allow any pets, no matter how much additional money the tenants are willing to py.

I suppose that could get into some real serious money if, for example, a Tenant had like a Tank Full of 180 Guppies . . . . or is One Tank considered One Pet ?

Vermont, your posting had me laughing... now that's capitalism at its best.