Condo Associations and Pet Policies in Philly

If you are shopping for a condo in Philadelphia and have a fur-baby at home, it’s likely that the first question you ask before looking at any units is whether the building allows pets. There are certainly pet-friendly condos in Philadelphia, but almost all of them have rules governing what animals you can bring into your unit: size, breed restrictions, whether the animal is a service dog, and how many pets you may have at once. As is the case elsewhere in the country, this is a thorny subject. Everyone considers pets to be part of their family, and who wants to hear that part of their family is excluded somewhere? Read on to find out more about Philadelphia condo associations and pet policies.

Are pets allowed?

The answer to that is a resounding… “usually.” Most condo associations understand that a lot of people have pets and have no desire to be the bad guy. On the other hand, there are times that sheer practicality comes into question. Many low-rise condos will allow pets as it is easy for them to get quickly and conveniently down to lower levels where they can relieve themselves and run around. On the other hand, a 30-story building may have a stricter policy for more than reason: firstly, because it is a lot harder to get the pet down to the outside, and also because there are many more neighbors adjoining, upstairs, and downstairs who stand to be upset by a barking dog. So, as to whether pets are even allowed or not, you will have to check with the building’s condo association.

Breed restrictions

This is a controversial topic among pet owners, but it’s a realistic scenario that a condo building you’re interested in may have breed restrictions when it comes to dogs. It’s easy to get angry if you have a lovable, docile pit bull (or any other restricted breed), but condo associations often have to make these decisions for reasons that are practical, not emotional. The insurance companies that cover condo buildings keep track of dog bite injuries, the breeds of those dogs that do get violent, and – here’s the big one –  how much dog bite claims cost policyholders. Everything comes down to the bottom line when dealing with insurance companies, and consequently property insurance carriers routinely exclude certain breeds of dogs from coverage arising from dog bites. To make this very blunt: if you, a hypothetical condo owner, were to disregard the breed restrictions on their homeowners or renters insurance policy, the insurance company won’t pay the claim. So these policies actually protect you, even if it doesn’t feel that way.

Service animal versus emotional support animals

This is another touchy topic that comes up when dealing with animals in condo buildings. Obviously, Pennsylvania law protects the rights of all disabled individuals who need a trained service dog, and that need overrules any pet policy. The problem is that, of late, some unethical people have figured out that all they have to do is to go online, fill out a few forms, pay some money, and they can get a certificate dubbing their dog(s) an emotional support animal. These people usually forget that the Fair Housing Amendments Act requires accommodations. If you try to pull one over on a condo association about a “support dog” and the case goes to court, be prepared to have your transparent attempt to misuse the law on reasonable accommodations be called into question. Instead of simply taking the word of some internet “doctor” you’ve never met, the Court will probe for evidence that the unit owner actually has a disability. Saying that you can’t sleep without your chihuahua or that you get “nervous” without Fido isn’t good enough. Unspecified “mental health issues” are not proof of a handicap, and without a handicap, you can’t have a service dog.

In conclusion, the burden of determining whether your prospective condo allows animals falls on you, and beyond just a “yes” or “no,” you have to find out how many animals are allowed, what size, and what breeds. Cats are more likely to be allowed than dogs, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t tons of pup-friendly condos in Philly.