What Is the Law on Renting to Pet Owners?

If you prefer, you may legally refuse to rent to people with pets.

The one exception is when someone has a service or emotional support animal. In this case, the animal is not considered a pet, and you are not permitted to reject this person based on their animal.

If you do allow a tenant to have pets, you are able to legally restrict the types of pets or the size of pets that can live in your property. Your pet policy should be written into the lease agreement and can be extended to pets of guests. Some landlords choose to restrict the size of allowable dogs, or they limit the breeds to ones their insurance does not consider dangerous. This way, landlords are not held liable if someone is bitten or attacked.