Pet Policies
Important Note on Pet Screening Services
Do we integrate with PetScreening, Petscreening.com, or similar services? No. Rentzap does not integrate with third-party pet screening services.
What we do instead - Our team performs basic pet screening using the criteria you set below, examining:
Animal photos uploaded by applicants
AI-assisted breed identification
Service animal documentation review
What we don't do:
Call veterinarians
Verify vaccination records
Conduct behavioral assessments
Contact ESA letter providers (unless verifying legitimacy)
Pets Allowed
What it controls: Whether you'll accept pets at all.
Options:
Yes: Accept pets subject to your restrictions below
No: No pets allowed
⚠️ Critical Recommendation: Select "Yes"
Even if you don't want pets, selecting "No" creates a problem:
The Service Animal Reality: If you select "No," you'll receive a stack of service animal/ESA letters anyway. By selecting "Yes" and using restrictions below, you:
Remain compliant with fair housing laws
Can apply reasonable restrictions where legally allowed
Get proper documentation review from our team
Maintain control over pet policies
Maximum Number of Pets
What it controls: The highest number of animals you'll accept.
Default Setting: 2
Best Practice: Set this to your maximum, then adjust at the property level if needed. Common settings:
Single family homes: 2-3
Condos/townhomes: 1-2
Apartments: 1-2
Service Animals Note: Service animals and ESAs don't count against this limit by law.
Cats & Dogs
What it controls: Whether you'll accept cats and/or dogs.
Options for each:
Yes
No
Recommendation: Enable both unless you have specific property restrictions (e.g., condo rules, severe allergy concerns for shared spaces).
Property-Level Control: You can set "Yes" here and restrict at individual properties.
Restricted Breeds
What it controls: Specific dog breeds you won't accept.
State Consideration: ⚠️ Breed restrictions vary by state and are increasingly limited:
Example - Arizona: Arizona law now prohibits insurance companies from denying claims based on dog breed. As a result, many Arizona property managers removed breed restrictions entirely.
Other States: Check your state's laws. Many states have enacted similar legislation, and federal fair housing guidance increasingly discourages breed restrictions.
Best Practice:
Set restrictions broadly (or none at all) in your default criteria
Apply specific restrictions at the property level only when required by:
HOA rules
Condo association bylaws
Master insurance policy requirements
Document the business justification for any breed restrictions
Common Restricted Breeds (when restrictions apply):
Pit Bulls / American Staffordshire Terriers
Rottweilers
German Shepherds
Doberman Pinschers
Chow Chows
Akitas
Wolf hybrids
Weight Restrictions
What it controls: Maximum weight for pets.
Default Setting: None (or highest you'd accept, like 80-100 lbs)
Best Practice: Set this to your maximum acceptable weight in default criteria. Adjust stricter at the property level when needed for:
Condos with weight limits
Properties with small yards
Upstairs units with noise concerns
Common Settings:
No restriction
50 lbs (common condo limit)
75 lbs (common apartment limit)
100+ lbs (single family homes)
Note: Weight limits for service animals are generally not allowed unless the animal would fundamentally alter the property or pose direct threat.
Pet Age Requirements
What it controls: Minimum age for pets (typically to ensure they're house-trained).
Default Setting: 1 year
Common Settings:
0 months (puppies/kittens)
1 year (most common)
2 years (strict properties)
Reasoning: Younger pets may not be:
Fully house-trained
Past destructive puppy/kitten phase
Temperament-tested
Service Animals Note: Age requirements typically cannot be applied to service animals.
Other Types of Pets
What it controls: Whether you want to know about non-cat/dog pets.
Options:
Yes: Applicants must disclose all pets (fish, reptiles, birds, etc.)
No: Only cats and dogs must be disclosed
⚠️ Recommendation: Select "Yes"
Why you want to know:
Aquariums: Water damage risk, especially large tanks
Reptiles/Amphibians: Humidity requirements, escape concerns
Birds: Noise and odor issues
Chickens: Increasingly common in urban areas
Farm Animals: Ostriches, goats, pigs (yes, this happens)
Arizona Example: The transcript mentions receiving applications with ostriches, chickens, and other unexpected animals. You want to know about these before approving!
What happens: Applicants must disclose these pets. You can then decide on a case-by-case basis.
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