Can I have a pet?
Yes, with some exceptions and by meeting the pet requirements. Pet owners must pay a pet deposit in addition to any other required deposits. The amount of the deposit is the higher of the family’s total tenant payment or $50 and must be paid in full before the pet is brought onto the premises.
General animal policy
Per Chapter 10 of the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP):
- Pets must be registered with the Authority before they are brought onto the premises.
- Registration includes documentation signed by a licensed veterinarian or state/local authority that the pet has received all vaccinations required by state or local law, and that the pet has no communicable disease(s) and is pest-free.
- This registration must be renewed annually and will be coordinated with the annual reexamination date.
- Pets will not be approved to reside in a unit until completion of the registration requirements.
- The pet must be a common household pet, meaning a domesticated animal such as a dog, cat, bird, or fish, that is traditionally recognized as a companion animal and is kept in the home for pleasure rather than commercial purposes.
Pet restrictions
The following animals are NOT considered common household pets:
- Reptiles
- Rodents
- Insects
- Arachnids
- Wild animals or feral animals
- Pot-bellied pigs
- Animals used for commercial breeding
In addition, the following animals are NOT permitted:
- Any animal whose adult weight will exceed 40 lbs
- Dogs of the pit bull, rottweiler, chow, or boxer breeds
- Ferrets or other animals whose natural protective mechanisms pose a risk to small children of serious bites or lacerations
- Any animal not permitted under state or local law or code
- Residents may own a maximum of two pets, only one of which may be a dog
- In the case of fish, residents may keep no more than can be maintained in a safe and healthy manner in a 10-gallon tank
Service animals
For an animal to be considered a service animal:
- It must be a trained dog.
- There must be a person with disabilities in the household who requires the dog’s services.
Service animal policies:
- Residents are responsible for feeding, maintaining, providing veterinary care, and controlling their assistance animals. A resident may do this on his or her own or with the assistance of family, friends, volunteers, or service providers.
- Residents must care for assistance animals in a manner that complies with state and local laws, including anti-cruelty laws.
- Residents must ensure that assistance animals do not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or cause substantial physical damage to the development, dwelling unit, or property of other residents.
- When a resident’s care or handling of an assistance animal violates these policies, County Housing will consider whether the violation could be reduced or eliminated by a reasonable accommodation. If the authority determines that no such accommodation can be provided, the authority may withdraw the approval of a particular assistance animal.
Learn more in Chapter 10 of the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP) below.
