Free Pet Addendum to a Lease Template (Word & PDF)

What is a pet addendum, and why does it matter?

A pet addendum is a short agreement attached to a residential lease. Most leases say no animals without the landlord's written consent. The addendum is that consent: it identifies one animal, states any pet deposit, pet rent or fee, and lists the rules the tenant agrees to follow, such as cleaning up, keeping noise down and keeping vaccinations current.

It matters because a verbal "sure, the dog is fine" leaves the important questions open. Which animal was approved? Was the extra payment a deposit to be returned, or a fee? What happens if the neighbors complain? Writing it down answers those questions while everyone is on good terms, and it gives the landlord a defined process to follow if the pet becomes a problem.

A pet addendum is about pets only. Service animals and emotional support animals kept by a person with a disability are not pets under fair housing law, and the pet rules and charges in an addendum like this one do not apply to them. The note on that section explains the difference.

When to use this template

A tenant with a lease in place asks to bring in a pet and you agree.
You are signing a new lease with a tenant who has a pet, and the lease requires written consent for animals.
You want the pet deposit, pet rent or fee recorded separately from the lease.
A tenant already has a pet by informal agreement and you want the terms in writing.

When it is not the right document

A service animal or an emotional support animal that a tenant with a disability is entitled to keep. Pet charges and pet rules do not apply to those.
A blanket pet policy for a whole building. This addendum approves one animal for one tenant.
A tenancy with no written lease. An addendum needs a lease to attach to.

The pet addendum template, section by section

The full text is on the left. Beside each section is a plain-language note on what it does and what to decide before you send it. Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in.

Pet Addendum

This Pet Addendum (the "Addendum") is made on [Date of this addendum] between [Landlord's legal name] (the "Landlord") and [Tenant's full name (every tenant on the lease)] (the "Tenant"). It is added to the lease between them dated [Date of the lease] (the "Lease") for the home at [Address of the home] (the "Property").

1. Permission to keep the pet

The Landlord gives the Tenant permission to keep the one animal described in this section (the "Pet") at the Property, on the terms of this Addendum.

The Pet is a [Type of animal] named [Pet's name]. Its breed is [Breed], its color is [Color and markings], its weight is about [Weight] and its age is about [Age].

This permission covers the Pet only. It does not cover any other animal, including one that replaces the Pet. It lasts for as long as the Tenant rents the Property under the Lease, including any renewal or month-to-month period, unless the Landlord withdraws it under this Addendum.

2. Pet deposit, pet rent and fee

The Tenant will pay the following for the Pet. An amount left blank or marked "none" is not charged.

(a) A refundable pet deposit of [Refundable pet deposit]. It is added to the security deposit under the Lease and is held, used and returned in the same way, as the law that applies to the Property requires.

(b) Pet rent of [Monthly pet rent] per month, due with the rent.

(c) A one-time pet fee of [One-time non-refundable pet fee], which is not refundable.

Each amount is charged only to the extent that the law that applies to the Property allows it. Where that law limits the total of all deposits, treats a fee as a refundable deposit, or does not allow a charge, the law applies in place of the amount written here.

These payments do not limit what the Tenant owes if the Pet causes damage that costs more.

3. The Tenant's responsibilities

The Tenant will:

(a) keep the Pet under control at all times, and on a leash or in a carrier in shared areas and whenever it is outside the Tenant's home or fenced yard;

(b) pick up the Pet's waste right away, indoors and outdoors, and dispose of it properly;

(c) not let the Pet disturb the neighbors, for example by barking or other noise that goes on for long periods;

(d) keep the Pet licensed, tagged and vaccinated as local law requires, and show the Landlord proof on request;

(e) not leave the Pet alone at the Property for longer than is safe for it, and arrange for its care whenever the Tenant is away overnight; and

(f) keep the Pet and the Property free of fleas and other pests.

4. Damage and injury

The Tenant is responsible for damage to the Property beyond normal wear that the Pet causes, and will pay the reasonable cost of repairing it, including any cleaning, odor removal and pest treatment that the Pet makes necessary.

The Tenant is responsible for injury or harm that the Pet causes to a person or to another animal. If a claim is made against the Landlord because of something the Pet did, the Tenant will repay the reasonable costs the Landlord has in dealing with that claim, except to the extent that the Landlord's own fault caused the injury or harm.

The Landlord recommends that the Tenant carry renter's insurance that includes liability cover for the Pet.

5. No other animals

The Tenant will not keep any other animal at the Property, even for a short time, without the Landlord's written consent. This includes looking after someone else's animal and any offspring of the Pet.

6. If this addendum is broken

If the Tenant breaks this Addendum, the Landlord will give the Tenant written notice that describes the problem and gives a reasonable time to correct it.

If the problem is not corrected in that time, or the same problem happens again, the Landlord may withdraw permission for the Pet by written notice. The Tenant will then remove the Pet from the Property within [Days to remove the pet after permission ends] days after receiving the notice. If the Pet has seriously injured someone or is an immediate danger to people, the Landlord may require the Tenant to remove it at once.

A breach of this Addendum is a breach of the Lease, and the terms of the Lease on default apply to it. The Landlord will not remove the Pet from the Property, and will act only through the notices and the legal process that the Lease and the law provide.

7. Assistance animals

This Addendum does not apply to an assistance animal. An "assistance animal" is a service animal or a support animal that fair housing law, or another law that applies to the Property, entitles a person with a disability to keep. An assistance animal is not a pet.

The Landlord does not charge a pet deposit, pet rent or a pet fee for an assistance animal, and does not apply breed, size or weight limits to one. The Tenant remains responsible under the Lease for damage beyond normal wear that any animal causes.

8. General terms

This Addendum is part of the Lease. If this Addendum and the Lease say different things about the Pet, this Addendum controls. In every other way the Lease stays as it is. Words defined in the Lease have the same meaning in this Addendum.

If more than one person signed the Lease as Tenant, each of them is responsible for the duties of the Tenant under this Addendum.

The law that governs the Lease governs this Addendum.

The parties may sign this Addendum electronically and in separate copies, which together form one agreement.

The Landlord and the Tenant agree to the terms of this Addendum.

Landlord

SignatureDate

Name

Title

Tenant

SignatureDate

Name

Check before you send it

A template cannot know your state, your industry or your deal. These are the points most likely to need a change, and the ones to raise with a lawyer.

Deposit limits. Many states cap the total of all deposits a landlord holds, and a pet deposit counts toward that total. Check the cap against the security deposit you already hold.
Non-refundable fees. Some states do not allow non-refundable fees in a residential tenancy, or treat any up-front payment as a refundable deposit. Where that is so, use the deposit and write "none" for the fee.
Pet rent. Some places, and some rent-regulated housing, limit or bar extra monthly charges for a pet. Check before adding it.
Assistance animals. Before treating an animal as a pet, ask whether the tenant has requested it as a service or support animal. Charging pet fees for one, or refusing it under a pet rule, is a common source of fair housing complaints.
Breed and weight rules. Limits on breed or size are generally allowed for pets, but they do not apply to assistance animals, and some cities and counties have their own rules on particular breeds. Your insurance policy may also exclude certain dogs.
Local animal rules. Licensing, vaccination, leash and limits on the number of animals per home are set locally, and condo or homeowner association rules may be stricter than yours.

How to send it with SignThis

Fill in the blanks. Choose "Send this for signature". After a short sign-up you are asked for the details: names, dates, amounts. Anything you skip stays a blank line.
Add who signs. Add the Landlord and Tenant, in that order, with their email addresses.
Place the blocks. Detect fields puts signature, date and name blocks on the signing lines. Add a Text block on any blank you want a signer to fill in.
Send. Each person gets a private link and signs in their browser. When the last one signs, everyone receives the sealed PDF and its audit certificate.

To change the wording first, download the Word file, edit it, save it as a PDF and upload that instead.

Questions about the pet addendum template

What is the difference between a pet deposit and a pet fee?

A pet deposit is refundable: the landlord holds it and returns it at move-out, less the cost of damage, under the same rules as the security deposit. A pet fee is a one-time charge the landlord keeps. Some states do not allow non-refundable fees or count every up-front payment as a deposit, so check before charging a fee.

Can a landlord charge a pet deposit for an emotional support animal?

Generally no. Under fair housing law, service animals and emotional support animals kept by a person with a disability are not pets, and landlords covered by the law cannot charge pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent for them. The tenant is still responsible for damage the animal actually causes, in the same way as any other damage.

Can a landlord withdraw permission for a pet?

Under this template, yes, but only after written notice of a violation and a reasonable time to fix it, or if the same problem happens again. If the tenant then keeps the pet, the landlord's remedy is the lease's default process and, if it comes to that, the court. The landlord cannot remove the animal.

Does a pet addendum carry over when the lease is renewed?

This template says the permission lasts as long as the tenant rents the home under the lease, including a renewal or a month-to-month period. A renewal that keeps the lease's addenda in place carries it forward. If you sign a completely new lease instead, sign a new addendum that refers to it.

Can I change the wording?

Yes. The text is a starting point. To change the wording, for example to add a second pet or a rule of your own, download the Word file, edit it, save it as a PDF and upload that to send it. If you only need to fill in the blanks, use "Send this for signature", which asks for them first.