February 12th, 2010 → 12:18 am @ admin // 19 Comments
I have been living in my home for about 6 months now..I live in a subdivison where there are many people with many dogs of all sizes. My landlord knows that my dog is a pit bull and told me i have to get rid of him.Because his insurance does not cover the dog.I informed him that i would get insurance on him. But my landlord said he does not care he wants the dog gone. He has never made me sign a lease agreement, And almost everyone in this subdivsion has dogs and even dogs that have attacked people cats here.I feel like im being treated unfairly , Can he make me get rid of my dog ? Even if i get insurance to cover my dog.
Mango
1 year ago
I am a landlord, and I had the same issue with the d… insurance. I did not have any problems with pitbulls or other breeds that the insurance have problems with (10 breeds)
WHat I did not like is that my tennants lied about their dog breeds (for good reasons, he probably thought I was like your landlord, but I don’t like liars). WHich I think is not your case.
I think you should move out because this landlord is an idiot first, you are not protected because you did not sign a lease.
For the future, make sure the future landlord knows your dog is a pit (so you won’t have to move again), you have insurance for him/her, and that your pit is spayed/neutered, and show him/her your dog when you visit the place. If your dog is well-behaved, you will not have any problem finding a new place. I had to choose between a tennant who had a nut-case lab and one who had a calm pit, I chose the tennant with the calm pitbull!!!
Educate landlords because pitbull reputation is terrible and people don’t know that they are good dogs.
The insurance thing is terrible for all pitbulls guardians, and as a landlord, I simply ask my tennants for their own insurance. Your landlord is not willing to do that, he is not cooperative, I think you should leave.
whobeme0
1 year ago
Its his house, so he can eventually. I would think that since you are already under lease, he can’t do it until your lease is up. Oops, i just read you don’t have a lease, so he can probably do it. Why don’t you move?
sirus381
1 year ago
there is no lease. There is nothing in writing saying you can or cant have the dog… However, A verbal contract may hold up just as well so long as there is a witness to the agreement… The agreement must cover the animal and the amount of time you are to stay at the rental property. If it dosen’t cover these two things, or there is no witness in your favor, he can give you a 30 day notice to vacate the premises if you do not comply.
jeselynn
1 year ago
if you havent signed a lease.. he’s at a disadvantage.. you can leave whenever you want! he could make you leave but he would still have to go through a court process. and since… going on what you said.. he didnt mention before that there were no dogs allowed and other’s .. i assume he rents too.. have dogs.. he can be ordered to let you and the dog stay if he’s being impartial.. hmm.. unfair cause of breed.. though do look into the laws for your area reguarding pitbulls cause there are some places with strick policies..
sillybut
1 year ago
You actually have the advantage. With no lease agreement as long as you can prove you live there i.e. bills etc you have squatters rights. Which means you technically dont even have to pay rent. Courts are designed to take care of the renters not the land lord. So the law is in your favor.
There are a lot of insurace agencies that won’t cover certain dogs, pit bulls being one of them. He can not make you get rid of your dog, nor can he force you to move out w/ no lease agreement but this could turn into an ugly situation.
My best advice is to find a new place to live and sign a lease agreement which includes your dog. THAT way YOU have something in writting to cover you, your dog and whatever sitatuation may come.
Good Luck
Psycho Diva Mickie Rivera
1 year ago
I dont think he should make you get rid of your dog because its a pitbull. Has your dog ever attacked anyone? If not tell your landlord that and if he still says to et rid of him then tell him he’s being an ***
Lisa
1 year ago
Tell your landlord to go **** a tree, and get a new landlord.
?
1 year ago
If you don’t have a lease agreement specifying you are allowed to have pets, he can evict you(!) not just make you get rid of your dog.
Your insurance won’t matter or help at all. The property owner can he held liable if your pit bull should attack someone so this would explain his reasoning….
Kiki B
1 year ago
YES, it is time to move. Unfortunately no matter where you go there are many biases when it comes to the bullie breeds and they will turn you away simply because of owning one. Also, getting an umbrella insurance policy is VERY expensive, if you can get one and is quite hard to get, too. You will need a CGC (canine good citizen) on your dog to make it easier….So, it is not an easy fix. Try calling around, and you will see what I mean.
cindy_lo
1 year ago
Unfortunately, he can make you get rid of your dog or force you to move. I am a groomer, but also work for a major insurance company who will not insure clients who have certain breeds of dogs (pits being one of them). The insurance company will cancel his policy if he allows you to keep your dog. Too many of these dogs have gotten bad raps because they have ignorant owners.
DP
1 year ago
Well… It’s his house.. his rules. Doesn’t matter if the rest of the neighbourhood has dogs or not.. Unless he owns all the houses in the neighbourhood.. In that case he would be unfair..
You should have a lease, then you know the rules and regulations and this kind of thing can’t happen. Did he know about the dog before you moved in? Or did you buy him since you moved in?
Likely he is getting complaints from the neighbours.. You would likely be better off finding a new home..
angpharo
1 year ago
If you did not sign a lease agreement, he cannot make you get rid of him. He could force you to move out though. The lack of a lease agreement doesn’t protect you from being kicked out. I would find a new place to live, where you sign a legally binding lease agreement.
Anonymous
1 year ago
I would consult a lawyer, preferable one with animal law or renter rights experience. In some areas, if a landlord has let you keep your dog for this long, he no longer has the right to ask you to remove the pet, or to move out because of it. Many places, you won’t have any rights, but a lawyer could help you sort this out.
me!
1 year ago
technically, he cant make you get rid of the dog..but he can throw you and the dog out.
i’d start looking for a new place and make sure the new landlord is aware that you have a pit and allows them. i would get a new landlord to ammend the lease stating that that particular dog is allowed to live there, this way you can always have something to go back to next time.
sorry and good luck
Frankie
1 year ago
He can’t take your dog. The only thing he can do is kick you out.
Luv big dogs
1 year ago
If you don’t even have a signed lease, then you’ve got nothing going in your favor. Basically, in the eyes of the law, you are a squatter and he can have you evicted. You should never move anywhere without a lease indicating the specifics of the arrangement, like what monthly rent will be, when it is due, how many people will live there, and how long you can live there. A lease would indicate what pets were allowed and if there were any size/breed restrictions.
My landlord, roommate and I have a verbal agreement that there will be 2 dogs, but our lease does not limit the number of dogs so he could not kick us out for having more than 2 so long as we keep the house in good condition. A lease would help you in this situation. As it is, be prepared to rehome the dog or move!
Mr. P's Person
1 year ago
If you have no lease yes he can make you get rid of the dog or even ask you yourself to leave too if you won’t.
As a landlord myself I insist on a lease. It protects me and my renters. Rules are set out and are legally binding. Without it things can change minute to minute and you have no control over it.
I would see if you have a family member or friend who can take your dog until you find somewhere else to live and make sure you get a lease stating that you can have a dog.
Good luck to you.
laura r
1 year ago
pitbulls will always be treated unfairly, thanks to the media. read up on the BSL law its comming. the landlord can get away with what he is doing because people still believe that pitbulls are ferocious fighters that will kill anything in its path. as nuts as it sounds, its the truth! The sad part is there are alot of pitbulls out there that are more tame than your average small breeds. i cant count how many times my pit ran from my cat and chihwahwa with fear in his eyes. All i can say is untill people do there homework and see for themselves that pitbulls are not the enemy, they will still walk around believing that pits are monsters that need to be eradicated! Even if you get more insurance on the dog the landlords will still view them as a threat. I would consault your contract sometimes even in fine print or cross wording there is something in there about the type of dog allowed to be owned in the complex.
LedZep
1 year ago
I heard Michael Vick has a few spots open at his house …maybe he would take him.