by Trixie Malone

Created on: April 28, 2009   Last Updated: April 29, 2009

Managing large and small apartments for the past ten years, I have heard it all from tenants and potential tenants regarding paying pet deposits and monthly fees. I have also read some of the articles here on Helium as to the other side of this debate. Most of the other side are much of what I have heard as an apartment manager. The fact is that all of the management companies I have worked for know that having dogs and cats on a property is a liability.

A poorly trained or for that matter;untrained animal can likely bite, chase, jump, or terrify someone who has had a bad experience with an animal. For these reasons the owners/management companies that have millions of dollars invested in their property do not need the possibility of being sued for an irresponsible pet owner. Most people think that the owners/managers just suddenly came up with this idea when in fact they realized that, charging a pet deposit and signing a pet agreement holds them harmless (in most states) from liabilities of careless pet owners.

In some cases prior to the pet agreement the owners/management companies were held just as responsible for an animal attack as the owners of the pet. In the matter of pet damages the things I have seen go way beyond the scope of deposits and monthly fees. I have seen things that my eyes could not accept nor my brain wrap itself around!

Trying to believe that a person could live in the messes and damages an animal can do completely behooves me. Tenants often don't think about their neighbors either. Constant calls to the office regarding a barking dog or a dog relieving itself in front of someones door or window. Tenants rarely clean up after the pet so the maintenance (which by the way is money the owner pays to take care of yet another hazard or liability) to take the time out of their schedule and clean it up.

The health hazards to other pets and humans can be very serious but most pet owners don't take the time to consider this. There are also fees for keeping the apartment free of fleas which the owners/managers constantly pay for weather it be before you move in or after you move out. In closing, just remember this is just your temporary home and it doesn't belong to you and most likely, the owners/managers will incur the cost of what ever a pet leaves behind or if you have been a good pet owner you will get your deposit back. I do love animals.

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