Bringing a banned dog into an apartment building violates your lease and can see you evicted. It can also put a black mark against your name which may make finding a new rental difficult. Don’t count your application out if you own a banned dog though. Be honest with the property owner about your dog’s breeds and see if they may make an exception. If you can’t find an apartment willing to accept your pooch, consider upsizing and renting a house with less restrictive pet rules. Find apartments near you
Apartment owners often want to meet the dogs their prospective renters own face-to-face in a pet interview. The canine equivalent of a job interview, pet interviews let property owners meet your pet and assess their temperament and suitability for the apartment. During a pet interview, the apartment owner assesses whether your dog looks like one of the banned breeds. As with job interviews, it’s a good idea to bring a pet resume, their medical records, and any references with you.
Apartments often have restrictions banning dog breeds known for being noisy, destructive, large, or aggressive. If you’re moving into an apartment with a four-legged friend on the banned list, you may wonder whether you can get away with sneaking your pooch in. However, apartment owners have ways of verifying the breeds of the dogs who live there.
Some apartment owners request screening for potential furry renters. Your dog may need to pass the screening with a certain grade to earn a place on your lease. Pet screenings check whether a dog can happily interact with other dogs and obey commands. Assessors also usually check how your dog walks on a leash and whether they’ll listen to people other than you. These traits make dogs suitable for apartment life. Pet assessors often report on dog breeds too, so asking for this kind of assessment is a good way for apartment owners to verify your pup’s breed.
Some apartment owners assess a dog’s suitability by reading letters of reference. Apartment owners expect you’ll sing your dog’s praises. A letter of reference can often give a more impartial or objective perspective on your pooch. If an apartment owner requests a letter of reference for your pet, ask someone who’s had a lot to do with your pet for their help. Some suitable referees include your vet, dog groomer, pet sitter, or a neighbor. Make sure your referee includes your pet’s breed and relevant details about their personality, such as how they behave when you’re not with them and how they interact with children and other animals.
“Honestly I couldn’t believe the announcement when I read it, I thought it was an April Fools prank,” Kallie told the Daily Dot over Instagram direct message. “DNA swabbing dogs seems like something straight out of a Black Mirror episode!”
The viral TikTok, which amassed over 112,200 views, sparked debate about the DNA collection policy, with some arguing it’s unreasonable.
Some users said in the comments section of the viral TikTok they’re glad owners who don’t pick up after their pets are seemingly being brought to justice.
“I mean nobody should have a problem with that, unless they aren’t picking up after their dog,” one user commented.
The video was posted Wednesday by TikToker Kallie (@kallieslayed). In it, Kallie says she got a residential notice from her apartment complex that states it will begin DNA testing all dogs in a PooPrints program.
It’s morning and you’re walking your dog, with a bag in hand, on the lawn outside of your apartment so that Fido can do his business. As you walk, you hear that dreaded squish beneath your Crocs. Your neighbors didn’t pick up after their dog — again — and you haven’t even had your morning coffee.
And it’s not just privately held apartment complexes that require pet DNA samples. In 2018, Winter Park added the right to test dogs in its public housing leases, though it hasn’t been enforced, a spokesperson said.
The service is effective, too, said Greg Tyndall, manager at PetScoop partner Decatur Point Apartments in Denver. Residents face a three-strike rule with fines. After the third instance of not picking up after their dog, they could face eviction. That’s a hypothetical contingency, though, because most offenders are “pretty one-and-done,” Tyndall said.
Apartment complexes used to be notorious for their stiff, anti-pet rules. Once the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1991, landlords had to accept tenants with service animals like seeing eye dogs. The definition of service animals has broadened to include emotional support animals.
Besides PooPrints, there are a handful of other companies doing the same kind of work — five or six by Retinger’s estimation.
Apartment complex requires DNA testing for dogs
AUGUSTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) – Imagine you want to move into a new apartment and one of the rules is that you have to hand over a sample of your dogs DNA. Some local properties are taking cleaning up after your pooch to the next level.
Its through a company called PooPrints. Heres how it works: properties that are affiliated with PooPrints will require all pet owners to do a DNA swab of their dogs cheek. This costs $50, and is usually included in a pet fee of some sort. The DNA is then sent to PooPrints and a DNA profile is created for each dog in the complex.
Then, whenever a dog poops and the owner does not clean it up, the poop is sent to the PooPrints lab and the identity of the dog is determined through DNA analysis.
Thats when the owner of the pet is determined and fined anywhere from $250-$500 depending on the apartment complexs policy. According to a representative from PooPrints, it costs the apartment $60 to send in a poop sample and have it DNA-tested.
Opinions about PooPrints are mixed, with supporters saying it is the most effective way to ensure dog-owners are held accountable for clean-up. Opponents say the DNA profile is a bit excessive.
According to PooPrints, the company is affiliated with roughly 4,000 properties around the country, 6 in the CSRA. However, they say Augusta-area residents can expect to see more PooPrints-affiliates popping up soon.
However you feel about PooPrints, its something to keep an eye out for if youre signing a lease for a new apartment.