Renting, Pet Ownership and Unauthorized Pets

Owning a pet, in general, is an expensive proposition. There's food, treats, and toys to buy, and vaccines and checkups to pay for. You'll have to buy litter for cats on a regular basis, some dogs will require regular grooming, and no matter what kind of pet you have, you can count on an expensive emergency vet bill every once and a while.

If you are just making it on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis, pet-related costs might bust your budget. And if you're renting, you can expect to turn your wallets inside out when paying for move-in costs for your pet. Fees and deposits vary depending on the area or management company, but you can expect to pay a hefty deposit for each animal, and oftentimes you'll also owe a non-refundable pet fee.

On top of that, some places will also charge you an additional pet rent each month that can range from $5 to $25 per pet.

Given all the expenses involved in renting with one or more pets, it's easy to understand why some apartment dwellers forgo having a furry member of the family. For the dedicated animal lover, however, or someone who already considers a dog or cat part of the family, forgoing a pet may not be an option. In these cases, it's natural for an animal-loving renter to start rationalizing an unauthorized animal. How hard is it, really, to hide a pet?

As a former property management professional, however, I'd like to offer some advice to renters everywhere: don't do it.

To begin with, it's actually much harder to hide a pet than most people think. If you have a dog, you're going to need to walk it outside several times a day. Even if you live far away from the leasing office, your leasing staff is responsible for keeping an eye on the property, and you can't guarantee that you won't run into them while they are making the rounds. Even if they just smile and wave, or seem not to notice your pooch, you can almost be certain that they'll be checking your file for a completed pet addendum when they get back to the office. Your dog may bark or whine, especially when you are not at home. Many unauthorized dogs have been discovered through the complaints phoned into the office by annoyed neighbors.

Cats are easier to hide then dogs, but they are still going to be very difficult to keep under wraps. Cats often sit in windows and can be viewed from outside your apartment. Even if your cat shies away from windows, you have to consider what you'll do if you need a work order completed in your apartment. If you're keeping your pet a secret from management, you'll have to either stay away from work orders completely, or you'll have a very difficult time arranging for your pet to be incognito when maintenance shows up to unclog your toilet or fix a leaky water heater. Due to the hectic nature of apartment maintenance, it's nearly impossible for maintenance technicians to schedule work orders at your convenience- which means you'll have a vague idea, at best, when they'll be coming in to do your repairs.

If you are discovered harboring an unauthorized pet, chances are that you'll incur expense above and beyond what you would have paid at move in if you'd just been honest. Policies will vary by management company, but most will require you to pay the required fees and deposits upon discovery (or get rid of the animal immediately) and will also charge you a fine for violating the animal policy. Many companies have instituted this fine because pet violations are so rampant in apartment communities. Some companies will also charge a daily fee for each day the animal remains until the deposit has been paid or you've removed the animal. These can add up quickly!

If you don't have the funds to pay the required fees and deposits for an animal in one lump sum, try approaching your leasing staff to see if they can work out payment arrangements with you. Chances are, they'll have a little flexibility, and they will appreciate you being honest and upfront with them. If there is no way you'll be able to come up with the money, then it's probably not a good idea to have a pet in the first place.

Even if you're able to keep your pet secret during your entire tenancy, you're not necessarily off the hook. If there is evidence of the presence of a pet when your apartment inspection takes place, then your management company is within their rights to charge you the full deposit and fees, or even more, if your pet has caused considerable damage to the premises. It's important to remember as well that a pet violation is a violation of your written lease, and technically could be grounds for an eviction. While most management companies probably won't take such drastic action, the violation will go on your rental record and will be reported to the next place you try to rent. This could affect your ability to get approved for another apartment.

On a personal note, I recognize this article may come off as preachy, and a little tinged with my own feelings on the subject. As a writer, I believe there is a place for the personal and subjective in your work, but generally it's better to be even-handed and objective. However, this happens to be a subject I feel passionately about, because I had to deal with so many pet violations during my time in property management, and it was always very painful for me. My leasing staff and I would always be very clear in explaining the animal policy to each new resident at the lease signing, including the financial penalties of having an unauthorized pet. Time and again, however, it would be brought to our attention that certain residents were hiding pets.

As an animal lover, it would be literally painful to me to have to charge a violation fee to a resident. I was always scared that they would choose to abandon their pet rather than pay the required fees and deposits. I would also, over and over again, have to bear the brunt of people's anger at being charged a violation fee, despite the fact that they were the ones who had violated a known policy, and I was only doing my job (and a part of it that I hated!). I heard, countless times, excuses (and often falsehoods) that a certain pet was only visiting, or that they had just gotten it, and had been meaning to come in the next day to report it. As someone who always prided myself on being an advocate for the happiness and well being of all my residents, it hurt to be required to be the agent of penalization to a resident, and it hurt to feel deliberately mislead by someone who I worked so hard for and had clearly explained our policies to, in the hopes of avoiding such a situation.

While it's tempting to try and avoid the fees and deposits associated with pet ownership in a rental home, ultimately it's a very big risk. If having an animal companion in your apartment seems too pricey, you should think seriously about whether you are willing and able to take on the financial responsibilities of pet ownership.