How to Screen Pets for Rental Properties: Best Practices & Risk Management Tips

In the real estate market, every landlord knows why tenant screening is essential. Ensuring that you’re getting trustworthy tenants is beneficial for both parties, as it sets the stage for a good landlord-tenant relationship with minimal misunderstandings.

But tenants aren’t the only residents subject to screening. As a property owner, you are legally responsible for providing a safe environment for your tenants, so in addition to tenant screening, credit checks, and background checks, pets, too, are sometimes evaluated to determine their suitability. After all, they can introduce unique risks to a property as well as tenants and visitors, so screening them is a matter of risk management.

Why Pet Screening Is Important

Dogs can sometimes cause damage to a property, such as chewing the furniture. Equally important, loud barking can disrupt neighbors and lead to noise complaints. But beyond these issues, dogs can also pose safety threats, especially in cases of large dog breeds that have a reputation for being aggressive, such as pit bulls. Sources claim that about 4.5 million people in the U.S. suffer dog bites every year, while children are most at risk. 

Collecting enough information about the tenant and their pet will help prepare you for handling problems adequately if and when they arise. This is especially important since you might unknowingly end up facing legal consequences for the harm your tenant’s dog caused. But can a landlord be responsible for a tenant’s dog attack, you might ask?

In some states, a dog owner is liable for the injuries inflicted by the animal, especially if they are of a dangerous breed. While rare, in some cases, even the landlord can be liable for the harm caused by a tenant’s dog. This can happen if the lease agreement was unclear or if the property itself contributed to the incident. Understanding these risks allows landlords to prepare for the unexpected and implement preventive measures.

What Should a Pet Screening Process Include?

Landlords can significantly reduce the risk of liability with a thoughtful, step-by-step pet screening process.  A risk-focused screening process should include:

• Details about the pet, such as breed, size, and age, help identify potential risks and establish ground rules.
• Learning about the dog’s behavioral history, including past cases of aggression, helps anticipate safety risks and prevent them.
• Information about the dog’s health and vaccinations helps protect the landlord from potential claims regarding diseases.
• Clear policies included in the lease agreement will set expectations and conditions, as well as consequences for any violations of the terms of the contract.
• Reference checks help landlords inquire get information about the pet’s behavior at previous rentals as well as any problems that may have occurred.

All the terms and conditions that you and a potential tenant agree upon should be added to the Lease agreement as an addendum, so it’s binding.

When Screening Isn’t Enough

Sometimes, even with the most foolproof screening process, incidents still occur, even in cases of very responsible tenants. Pets faced with stressful or new situations can be prone to aggressive reactions, biting, or escaping and causing harm to people. A responsible landlord must consider the safety of everyone on the property, including visitors. 

To further reduce the risk, landlords should incorporate additional measures, such as making sure that insurance covers all pet-related incidents and keeping all the documentation neat and organized. Landlords may also require tenants to get renters’ insurance, which includes coverage for injuries caused by the tenant or their pet.

How to Balance Pet-Friendly Policies with Risk Management

Pet-friendly rental properties are not vacant for long, as they are constantly in demand. But offering a pet-friendly property comes with a set of risks that landlords must be prepared to manage. The goal is to strike the perfect balance between pet-friendly policies and risk management to avoid exposure to legal issues. To achieve this, landlords need to make informed decisions. Factors you should be aware of are:

1. Understand that not all pets are suitable for a specific property, especially small apartments or buildings where noise is more disruptive.
2. The same rules don’t apply to all dog sizes. Larger breeds might not be suitable for your property due to small children or lack of space, so set expectations in advance about the size of pets allowed on your real estate.
3. Policies can change. Landlords are allowed to update their property management policies after evaluating the situation or after an incident. 

Conclusion

Screening pets is a necessary part of property risk management, but it is merely one part of the strategy. Taking a proactive approach and being prepared will help landlords make the most of their rental properties while minimizing the risk of legal or financial problems. Making informed decisions about what type and size of pets are allowed, implementing thoughtful policies, and keeping proper documentation helps protect both the landlord and the tenant.