Should you allow pets in your rental property? It's one of the most common questions I hear from owners here at Cool Realty, and there's no single right answer for every investor. Pets can open your listing up to a much wider pool of qualified renters, but they also come with a level of risk that every landlord should understand before making a decision. In the video below, I walk through exactly how we screen pets, what fees typically apply, and the two damage protection options we offer owners who want a pet-friendly property without losing sleep over it.
Key Takeaways
A pet-friendly policy widens your tenant pool, but every pet placed through Cool Realty goes through a dedicated pet screening process first.
Service animals and emotional support animals are not pets under federal law, and Florida landlords cannot charge pet fees, pet rent, or pet deposits for them.
Typical pet fees run around $125 with monthly pet rent near $30, and you can choose to keep those fees yourself or let us apply them toward up to $1,000 in pet damage coverage.
Renters insurance with dog bite coverage adds another layer of protection for you and your tenant.
The final decision on whether to allow pets is always yours as the property owner.
Why Pets Can Widen Your Jacksonville Tenant Pool
A no-pets policy feels safer on paper, but it also shrinks the number of renters who can apply for your home. Most tenants with pets aren't willing to give them up just to qualify for a rental, which means a strict no-pets rule can leave a well-priced property sitting vacant longer than it needs to. Allowing pets, when it's handled correctly, tends to attract tenants who plan to stay longer and treat the home as their own.
The key phrase there is "handled correctly." That's why we built a screening process around every pet we place, not just every applicant.
How We Screen Every Pet Before It Moves In
Before a pet ever sets paw in one of our owners' properties, it goes through a dedicated pet screening company as part of our broader tenant screening process. We're checking for breed risk, confirming the animal is current on vaccinations, and verifying whether an animal claimed as an emotional support or service animal actually qualifies under the proper documentation. That last piece matters more than most owners realize, since misidentified pets are one of the biggest sources of disputes and fair housing complaints in the industry.
If you want a closer look at how our verification process works, our pet screening service outlines the breed checks, behavioral history, and risk scoring we run on every applicant's pet.
Pet Fees, Pet Rent, and What They Actually Cover
Standard Pet Fees and Monthly Pet Rent
For approved pets, we typically see a pet fee around $125 along with pet rent of roughly $30 a month, though the exact numbers can vary by property and situation. As the owner, you have a choice in how those funds are handled.
The first option is straightforward: any pet fees or pet rent collected get passed along to you, and you're responsible for covering pet-related repairs that exceed the security deposit. This gives you full control over the extra income, but it also means you're carrying the risk if damage runs high.
Our $1,000 Pet Damage Protection Option
The second option is where our pet program adds real value. If you allow us to keep the pet fees and pet rent in-house, we'll cover up to $1,000 in repairs above the security deposit for damage caused by a pet we approved into your property. That's a meaningful safety net if a tenant's dog chews through baseboards or a cat causes carpet damage that outpaces the deposit. It won't cover every possible scenario, but it takes a significant amount of financial uncertainty off your plate.
Neither option is inherently better than the other. It comes down to whether you'd rather keep the monthly income and manage the risk yourself, or trade some of that income for a built-in damage cushion.
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals Aren't Pets
One distinction every Jacksonville landlord needs to understand is the legal difference between a pet and an assistance animal. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, service animals and emotional support animals are not classified as pets, and landlords cannot charge pet fees, pet rent, or pet deposits for them, regardless of your general pet policy. When a tenant requests a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal, our team handles the proper documentation and verification so you stay compliant while still protecting your property. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes detailed guidance on assistance animals and reasonable accommodations if you want to dig into the federal requirements yourself.
This is also why breed restrictions and no-pet policies can't automatically apply to a legitimate assistance animal. Getting this wrong doesn't just create tension with a tenant, it can expose an owner to a fair housing complaint.
Setting Yourself Up for Success as a Pet-Friendly Landlord
Allowing pets doesn't mean accepting every animal without question. Some breeds carry more liability risk than others, and any pet needs to be walked, exercised, and cared for consistently. We encourage tenants toward responsible habits like regular flea treatment and staying current on vaccinations, and we also confirm that tenants carry dog bite coverage as part of their renters insurance policy. That coverage protects you, the tenant, and anyone who might interact with the animal on your property.
Responsible pet ownership also ties back into how well the home is maintained day to day. Our maintenance team keeps an eye out for any early signs of wear during routine visits, so small pet-related issues get addressed before they turn into costly repairs.
Ultimately, whether you allow cats, dogs, or other animals in your rental is your call as the owner. If you're allergic to cats, don't allow cats. If a particular property just isn't suited for large dogs, that's a reasonable limitation too. What matters is making that decision with full information rather than guessing.
Common Questions About Pets in Jacksonville Rentals
Do I have to allow pets in my rental property?
No. Allowing pets is entirely your decision as the property owner. We're happy to walk through the pros and cons for your specific property before you decide.
Can I charge a pet fee for an emotional support animal?
No. Emotional support animals and service animals are not considered pets under the Fair Housing Act, so pet fees, pet rent, and pet deposits cannot be charged for them.
What happens if pet damage exceeds my security deposit?
It depends on which option you choose. If you keep the pet fees yourself, you're responsible for damage beyond the deposit. If you let us retain those fees, we cover up to $1,000 in repairs above the deposit for pet damage.
How do you verify a pet before approving a tenant's application?
Every pet goes through a dedicated pet screening company that checks breed risk, vaccination records, and behavioral history, and verifies documentation for any claimed service or emotional support animal.
Making the Right Pet Policy Call for Your Jacksonville Rental
There's no universal right answer to whether you should allow pets, but there is a right process for handling them if you do. Between our pet screening, transparent fee structure, and optional damage protection, we've built our program so you can open your property to more qualified tenants without carrying all the risk on your own.
If you'd like to talk through what makes sense for your specific property, I'm happy to set up a quick call, a Google Meet, or come take a look at the property in person. You can reach out anytime through our Jacksonville property management page to get started.
