Household Pet Approval
Pet Policy and TailPrint™ for Rental Applicants
Household pet acceptance is property-specific. Review the individual rental listing and complete the required pet documentation before assuming that a dog, cat, or other household pet will be approved.
Rice Real Estate & Property Management reviews each household pet individually using documented behavior history, veterinary care, age, size, vaccination records, responsible pet management, and the written requirements approved for the rental property.
The individual property owner decides whether household pets will be considered and may establish written restrictions.
No household pet is approved until the required review is complete and written approval has been issued.
Service animals and other assistance animals are handled through the reasonable accommodation process.
A documented bite history must be disclosed and is reviewed individually as part of the household-pet approval process.
How Approval Works
Each Household Pet Is Reviewed Before Written Approval
The pet review is separate from the applicant’s financial and rental qualification. Approval of the applicant does not automatically approve a household pet, and approval of a pet at one property does not guarantee approval at another property.
Review the Property Policy
Confirm whether the individual rental listing considers household pets and whether size, number, HOA, insurance, or other property-specific restrictions apply.
Complete One Profile Per Pet
Complete one Household Pet Affidavit for each household pet expected to live at the rental property. Each pet needs only one profile on file with Rice Real Estate & Property Management, regardless of how many applicants are in the household. Do not submit duplicate profiles for the same pet.
Receive a TailPrint™ Rating
Each pet receives an individual rating based on documented, housing-related factors. Breed alone is not used as the sole determining factor.
Complete Written Approval
Approved pets require the applicable fees, deposit, renter’s insurance, and a signed pet or animal amendment before possession.
Standard number of pets: When the property allows household pets, the standard policy permits up to two approved pets. More than two pets, pets under 12 months old, and pets weighing more than 100 pounds require additional review and may be subject to added requirements or surcharges.
| TailPrint™ Rating | Monthly Pet Fee | One-Time Acceptance Fee | Refundable Pet Deposit | Minimum Liability Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $5 | $100 | $300+ | $100,000 |
| 4 | $5 | $100 | $300+ | $100,000 |
| 3 | $10 | $150 | Up to $500+ | $100,000 |
| 2 | $75 | $250 | Up to $750+ | $300,000 |
| 1 | $100 | $300 | Up to $1,000+ | $300,000 |
| 0 | Not eligible | Not eligible | Not eligible | Household pet is not approved |
Each approved household pet receives its own TailPrint™ rating and needs only one profile on file, regardless of how many applicants are in the household. Property-specific requirements may be more restrictive. Fees, deposits, and insurance requirements must be completed before the pet takes possession of the rental property.
Important Requirements
Approval Must Be Completed Before the Pet Enters the Property
Applicants and residents must disclose every household pet and receive written approval before the pet lives at the property. Adding another pet later requires a new review and advance written approval.
Bite-History Disclosure and Additional Review
A documented bite history must be disclosed and reviewed before a household pet may be approved. Rice Real Estate & Property Management considers the circumstances and available documentation as part of the individual pet review. The review may result in approval, approval with additional requirements, or denial.
- Pets under 12 months old may require additional review.
- Pets weighing more than 100 pounds may require additional review.
- Households requesting approval for more than two pets are reviewed case by case.
- Other documented behavioral concerns may require added safeguards, fees, deposits, or denial.
Insurance and Lease Requirements
Residents with approved household pets must maintain active renter’s insurance with the required pet-liability coverage for the entire lease term.
- TailPrint™ ratings 3 through 5 require at least $100,000 in personal liability coverage.
- TailPrint™ ratings 1 and 2 require at least $300,000 in personal liability coverage.
- Proof of coverage is required before move-in and whenever requested during the tenancy.
- Each approved pet must be included in the written lease or pet amendment.
Assistance Animals Are Not Household Pets
Service animals and other disability-related assistance animals are handled separately through the reasonable accommodation process. Approved assistance animals are not charged household pet fees, monthly pet fees, or pet deposits.
Submit a Reasonable Accommodation Request or contact Rice Real Estate & Property Management for an alternative submission method.
Unauthorized household pets: Keeping an unapproved pet at the property is a lease violation and may result in a $1,000 unauthorized-pet charge, enforcement action, and responsibility for related property damage.
Complete the Correct Pet or Animal Process Before Applying
When the household will have no household pets and no assistance animals, each applicant age 18 or older must individually complete and submit a separate No-Pet and No-Animal Affidavit. One applicant cannot complete this affidavit for another applicant or submit one affidavit for the entire household. Complete one Household Pet Affidavit for each household pet, or submit one Reasonable Accommodation Request for each assistance animal. Each household pet or assistance animal needs only one profile on file with Rice Real Estate & Property Management, regardless of how many applicants are in the household.