According to the 2023-2024 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), about 66% of US households have at least one pet.
The majority of these families would only be happy moving into a new home if they could take their pets with them. However, rental property owners can establish pet policies as they see fit.
With that said, there are certain laws surrounding service and support animals that landlords must follow. Keep reading to find out more about these rules.
What Are Service Animals?
Service animals have received special training so that they can help their owners with specific tasks. In most cases, these are dogs, but there are rare instances of other service animals such as cats and even capuchin monkeys. Some common examples of these include guide dogs for people with vision impairments or hearing dogs to identify sounds for people with hearing impairments.
Service animals laws dictate that landlords can't reject tenants for owning service animals. These animals are required by their owners, so you can't reject a tenant based just on this reason.
Bear in mind that you may be able to seek compensation if a service animal causes issues like property damage. In severe cases, you may be able to take legal action to have the animal removed.
What Are Support Animals?
Support animals are similar to service animals in that they help their owners, but they do it in a slightly different way. Typically, they help with emotional or mental health issues, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- PTSD
- Stress
They're required by their owners, so emotional support animal rules are the same as those for service animals. Under the umbrella of "assistance animals", a landlord cannot deny a tenant just for owning a support animal.
The same rules apply if they cause issues. You may be able to seek compensation or have the animal removed through legal action.
How Do Pets Differ?
As much as people love their pets, the same laws don't apply here. They're not considered assistance animals, and landlords are allowed to establish their own policies for them. As such, you can stipulate that no pets are allowed in your properties.
However, before making this decision, you should consider both the pros and cons of allowing pets. Some of the key benefits include:
- Access to a larger tenant pool
- Ability to increase rental rates
- Pet owners often want longer tenancies
At the same time, you also need to think about the drawbacks of allowing pets, such as:
- Potential to cause property damage
- Pets may cause disturbances
- There could be insurance implications
Consider these pros and cons when deciding whether or not you'd prefer to have pet-friendly rentals.
Your Pet Policy
Legally, you can't reject rental applicants for owning service or support animals, but you can come to your own decision about pets. Consider the benefits and drawbacks, and speak to a property manager if you're uncertain about your decision.
PMI Daytona Flagler is a full-service real estate asset management company serving Daytona Beach and the surrounding communities. We can use our years of experience to offer expert guidance and can provide tailored property management services to help you achieve your investment goals. Take a look at our property management page to find out more.
