Puppy Policy + Adding Pets Mid-Lease

Puppy may be approved based on tenant performance mid-lease.

$250 non-refundable lease adjustment fee will apply when adding a pet to the lease.

A puppy can be added to the household under the following conditions:

1. Eligibility Criteria

Tenant Performance: Tenants must have a good rental history with no late payments, NSF payments, or lease violations throughout their lease term.
Application Process: Tenant must submit a formal request to add a puppy through PetScreening.com, following all standard pet policy procedures.

2. Pet Deposit

Double Deposit Requirement: An additional deposit equal to twice the standard pet deposit will be required for approved puppies. This is to ensure coverage of potential damages related to the puppy.

3. Breed Restrictions

Prohibited Breeds: Pit Bull, American Bull Dog, Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Doberman, Wolf Hybrid, Mastiff, English Bull Terrier, Akita, Presa Canario, Bernese, Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, German Shepherd, Husky, any dog with a history of biting, and any mixed breed containing any of the above breeds.

Template:

Hi XXXX,

Thanks for reaching out with your inquiry about adding a pet.

In order to add a pet, you will need to register the pet through PetScreening: https://www.petscreening.com/ & complete the pet application. If the pet is approved, the fee to add the pet to the lease is $250 (non-refundable) plus a $500 refundable pet deposit (per pet).

Important items to note:

- Cats and dogs are the only pets allowed. No animals over 35 lbs. Pets must be older than 1 year. No ferrets, birds, rodents, amphibians, or reptiles.

- No aggressive breeds. Aggressive breeds are considered to be: Pit Bull, American Bulldog, Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Doberman, Wolf Hybrid, Mastiff, English Bull Terrier, Akita, Presa Canario, Bernese, Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, German Shepherd, Husky, any dog with a biting history, and any mixed breed with any of those in this list.

If you have any further questions, please let us know.

Handling Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Documentation

Overview:

When a tenant submits documentation from a healthcare provider regarding an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), it must be processed in compliance with Fair Housing guidelines and company procedure. The goal is to ensure consistency, proper documentation, and timely follow-up while maintaining professionalism and empathy.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Acknowledge the Tenant’s Message

Respond promptly and professionally, thanking them for sharing their documentation.

Example:

Hi [Tenant’s Name],

Thank you for letting us know about this update to your living situation. There are a couple of things we’ll need to complete on our end to document your ESA properly.

2. Direct Tenant to PetScreening

All ESA documentation must be verified through https://treatyoakproperties.petscreening.com.

Message example:

Please visit https://treatyoakproperties.petscreening.com and submit your animal with the proper ESA documentation.

3. Prepare the Animal Agreement (Lease Addendum)

Once the tenant has completed the PetScreening submission:

The Property Manager (PM) or Leasing Coordinator prepares the Animal Agreement Addendum.
Send it to the tenant for signature via Docusign.

This addendum must be signed even for ESAs, as it acknowledges the animal’s presence and responsibilities under the lease.

🟢 Important: The $250 non-refundable lease adjustment fee that normally applies when adding a pet does not apply for ESAs.

4. Confirm Completion

After both steps are done (PetScreening submission + Addendum signed):

Confirm with the tenant that they’re “all set.”
Update the tenant’s file in the property management system (AppFolio) with:
- ESA documentation
- PetScreening approval report
- Signed Animal Agreement Addendum
- Date of completion

5. Documentation & Recordkeeping

Thoroughly document the following in the tenant’s record:

Date ESA documentation was received
Steps completed (PetScreening, Addendum sent/signed)
Any internal communications (PM approval, exceptions, notes)
Store all files in the tenant’s folder in AppFolio under “ESA Documentation”

6. Internal Notes / Escalation

If the documentation seems incomplete, unverifiable, or if the tenant refuses to go through PetScreening:

Escalate to the Property Manager immediately before responding further.
Do not deny an ESA request directly — escalate for Fair Housing compliance review.

Sample Response Template

Subject: ESA Documentation – Next Steps

Hi [Tenant’s Name],

Thank you for sharing your documentation. To complete the process, please visit https://treatyoakproperties.petscreening.com and submit your animal with the proper ESA information.

Once that’s submitted, we’ll send you our Animal Agreement Addendum for signature. After both steps are complete, everything will be fully set on our end.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions — I’m happy to help!

Best,

[Your Name]

Treaty Oak Property Management