reference source – ASPCA Model Pet Ownership Policy
Unit owners must keep their companion animals responsibly, which means:
- Spaying or neutering companion animals consistent with the health and welfare of the animals
- Providing their companion animals with all required vaccinations and inoculations, appropriate and recommended veterinary care, as well as veterinary medical attention for acute or chronic illness, accidents, or other conditions that affect an animal’s health and well-being.
- Licensing their pets in accordance with state and local law and regulations. (Your pet rules should include the complete citation that applies.)
- Appropriately training and caring for their companion animals to ensure that they are not a nuisance or danger to other tenants and do not damage housing property.
- Not subjecting, nor allowing others to subject, their companion animals to abuse, neglect, or inhumane or cruel treatment nor causing them pain, injury, or suffering, whether deliberately or through negligence.
- Ensuring that the pet is appropriately and effectively restrained and under the control of a responsible individual while in the common areas of the housing complex. Dogs and cats should either be on a halter leash or in a carrier.
- Not leaving companion animals unattended for more than 24 hours, or, in the case of dogs, 12 hours. If an absence is expected to be longer, the tenant should arrange for someone to check up on his/her animal and care for it as necessary.
In order to make animals accepted in a formerly no-pets community (this section added by Citizens for Pets in Condos)
- The unit owner has financial responsibility for any damage or injury caused by their animals
- Pet owners must dispose of animal waste in designated locations
- Animal nuisance issues and animal placement in case of illness or death of the pet owner will be handled by a pet committee.*
Pet owners must register their pets with the board/manager, in most cases prior to bringing the animal onto the premises. Registration should include:
- documentation from a veterinarian or a state or local authority empowered to inoculate animals (or designated agent of such an authority) attesting that the pet has received all inoculations required by applicable state and local law and that in his/her judgment, taking the animal’s age, medical condition, and other factors into consideration, the pet appears to be receiving proper care.
- proof that the pet has been licensed in compliance with local animal control laws.
- information sufficient to identify the pet, including license tag number and a photo, and to demonstrate that it is a common household pet.
- the name, address, and phone number of one or more responsible parties who will care for the pet in the event that the owner is no longer able or willing to do so.
any additional information deemed necessary to ensure compliance with all pet rules.
The unit owner should sign a statement indicating that he/she has read the pet rules, understands them, and agrees to comply with them. Noncompliance may result in forfeiture of the pet or eviction
*Each condo should establish a Pet Committee consisting of pet-owning tenants, non-pet owning tenants, representatives of local humane organizations and the animal sheltering community, animal behaviorists and veterinarians and/or their staffs, and outside community volunteers knowledgeable in the field of pet ownership or public housing. more detailed information on pet committees
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NOTES: ASPCA and other major animal welfare organizations do NOT support blanket size or breed restrictions. They also recommend against declawing of cats.
Also, there is no need for associations to specify number of animals allowed. This issue is adequately covered by local city and county pet ordinances.
