A fair, balanced way to screen pets in rental communities helps make the process easier. Learn how.
Allowing pets in a rental community inherently makes them more attractive while also supporting long-term tenants, thus reducing the dreaded turnover rate. At the same time, landlords and HOAs need systems in place that protect the property (individual and community) and support responsible pet ownership. Fair screening creates that balance, but how does a person go about doing that? We walk through how to evaluate pet applications without discrimination and how to set up a policy that’s clear and enforceable.
To fairly screen pets, you need information that shows you how the animal behaves, how the owner cares for them, and whether they meet your community’s standards. But that’s often easier said than done. Here’s how to assess each application with consistency and clarity.
A detailed pet application should provide the basics: age, size, breed, spay/neuter status, vaccination records, behavioral history, and how long the owner has cared for the animal. These are neutral, factual points that help to form a full picture of the pet and how they’re likely to do while living in your community.
Tools like PetScreening generate standardized pet profiles, which can make documentation easier for both tenants and property managers.
💡Many breed myths aren’t supported by data. Research consistently shows that aggression is tied more to training, behavior history, and owner responsibility than it is to breed. As such, evaluating each pet individually is the fairest and most reliable approach.
When it comes to a new pet moving into a property, it’s necessary to get a full and clear picture about any previous incidents, interactions with other pets, experience living in multifamily housing, and notes from trainers. A single incident may not be disqualifying, but patterns matter. Screening for behavior instead of assumptions based on breed, aesthetic, or other information reduces bias and keeps your community safer.
In close quarters like apartments, pet health matters. Vaccination records, microchipping, parasite prevention, and general wellness checkups show that the pet is well cared for and should be requested from pet parents for at least the past few years. After all, a healthy, up-to-date pet poses fewer risks to other animals and residents.
A high-energy dog might be a great fit for a complex with outdoor space, but not for a quiet building with limited common areas. This isn’t discrimination; it's thoughtful placement based on the animal’s needs and the community’s layout. This one is probably the least important qualification that we’ve shared, but it still matters when understanding the full breadth of a situation.
Fair screening also means following federal, state, and local regulations. Several laws protect tenants and prevent discrimination, so it’s essential to understand what you can and cannot consider when evaluating a pet.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits discrimination against tenants with disabilities who rely on service animals or emotional support animals. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines how service animals must be accommodated in public-facing parts of housing communities. Neither law classifies service animals as pets, meaning they cannot be denied or charged pet fees.
Local rules may include leash laws, noise ordinances, or specific guidelines on animal safety and control. Some cities regulate the number of pets allowed per household or have additional requirements for certain species. Providing examples in your own city — such as how Charlotte, North Carolina requires dogs to be on leashes at all times unless in its own yard and accompanied by an adult 18 years or older — helps tenants understand what’s expected. A compliance tool like PetScreening can streamline the process by flagging relevant regulations, but it's still the landlord’s responsibility to review everything.
Once you’ve researched the laws and built a fair framework, put your pet policy into practice for both new applicants and current residents. The more detailed and research-driven your pet policy, the better.
Outline requirements for applications, documentation, fees (if applicable), restricted areas, noise expectations, and ongoing responsibilities like vaccinations. Platforms can help store records, maintain consistency, and keep everything timestamped and transparent.
➡️Explore our resource for how to build the best pet policy possible.
Rolling out a new pet policy can feel stressful for residents who already have pets. Communicate your intentions clearly: the goal is fairness, safety, and transparency—not punishment. Offer advance notice, allow current residents time to submit documentation, and reassure tenants that existing pets will be evaluated individually and compassionately.
With that, be sure you have a plan in place should current tenants pets not fit into your new pet policy. Determine whether they can finish out their lease term or if termination is legal or fair.
Regular check-ins ensure pets remain healthy and compliant. Annual vaccination renewals, behavioral updates, and documentation of any incidents protect both tenants and property owners. Consistent record-keeping also prevents misunderstandings and shows that screening is applied equally to everyone. Plus, when you have detailed records, it can make solving any issues that come up in the future easier to manage.
Screening pets is an important step in protecting your interests as a property owner as well as the well-being of all of your tenants and their pets. But, it’s also necessary to be as fair as possible and understand all of the factors involved in pet behavior when making pet screening decisions.
