Pets

We're a pet-friendly landlord. In order to have a pet in your apartment, you'll need to consider the following:

Things to Consider

• There is a maximum of two pets allowed in each apartment (a terrarium is considered one pet if it has five or fewer small animals in it).
• We allow terrarium pets, such as certain small mammals, on a species-by-species basis.
• Small birds, such as finches, may be allowed. Large birds and birds with loud vocalizations are not permitted.
• We typically only allow two pets as long as neither pet exceeds 25 lbs.*
• We don't typically allow any pets over 60 lbs.*
• We only accept spayed and neutered dogs and cats. If your pet is too young to be spayed/neutered (under 6 months of age), the pet rent may be increased until the spay/neuter can be completed.
• Dogs and cats must be rabies vaccinated and be properly licensed (see below).
• Certain breeds of dogs and cats have additional restrictions or are banned outright based on behavioral problems associated with the breed.
• Only standard domestic pets will be allowed. We do not allow any livestock or exotic animals.
• We do not allow water-filled aquariums such as fish tanks. (sorry!) A small, approximately one-gallon betta-style tank may be allowed, provided it has a motorized filter with carbon filtration.
• If you have a dog or cat you must carry a Renter's Insurance policy with at least $100,000 in animal bite liability. With some breeds of dogs, you must also provide a letter from the agent on his/her letterhead that states the insured’s dog, by name and description, is specifically covered by the policy in force.
• There will be a pet rent of $35 per month for the first pet, $15 per month for the second pet (or $25 per month for the second if both pets are cats), and $50 per month for any pet over 65 lbs, if approved.
• In some cases an additional Security Deposit will also be required.
• If you are found to have an unregistered pet in the building, you will immediately be fined $150, and the pet may be banned forever with no exceptions! So make sure to have the pet approved first before bringing it into your apartment.

Dogs and cats may not be allowed in any common hallway, entrance, or common room without a leash. At buildings with common backyards, pets may be unleashed, but may not be in the yard without supervision (this includes both dogs AND cats). All waste must be immediately picked up by the owner (don't go into the yard without a poop bag!). Do not allow pets to walk on or urinate on any plantings such as shrubs or flowers. Violators will be heavily fined.

UNAUTHORIZED PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING AT ANY TIME, not even for short visits!

Even if we do give you permission to have a pet in your apartment, we reserve the right to revoke permission at any time if the pet becomes a nuisance to neighbors or the building through noise, smells, or any other reason. If we do revoke permission, the pet will need to be removed immediately. Your Apartment Lease will not be affected, and you will still be responsible for all of the terms of the Lease.

The Process

STOP! Your pet may not be allowed to enter the building under any circumstances until this process is complete and you have received written permission from our office.

New Residents

Make sure your pet meets all of the requirements outlined above. When you are filling out your apartment application, be sure to check the box that you have a pet (you should also check that box if you're about to get a pet, but don't currently have one). We'll ask you for more information on your pet in order to be sure the pet meets our requirements, and so that we can properly prepare an addendum to your lease for the pet. You will be required to submit a picture of the pet. For dogs and cats, we'll also need to see a valid certificate of spay or neuter, a rabies vaccination certificate, and a valid pet license (see below). We may request additional information from you prior to accepting the pet as well. With dogs, this may include a physical inspection to determine the dog's personality, and a physical inspection of your dog crate (see below for our Crating policy). If the pet is not a dog or a cat, please contact the apartment manager for more details on application requirements. Once we receive all the required information from you and have given preliminary approval, we will add an addendum to your apartment lease giving you permission to have that particular pet on the premises.

Existing Residents

To begin the pet approval process, you'll need to submit a service ticket through your Downtownian.com account and request a pet application. Make sure your pet meets all of the requirements outlined above. We will verify that all requirements are met before approval. You will be required to submit a picture of the pet. For dogs and cats, we'll also need to see a valid certificate of spay or neuter, a rabies vaccination certificate and a valid pet license (see below). We may request additional information from you prior to accepting the pet as well. With dogs, this may include a physical inspection to determine the dog's personality, and a physical inspection of your dog crate (see below for our Crating policy). If the pet is not a dog or a cat, please contact the apartment manager for more details on application requirements.

Once we receive all the required information from you and have given preliminary approval, we'll then prepare a lease addendum and send it to you via DocuSign. All leaseholders are required to sign the agreement. Once your request has been approved and all fees and deposits (if applicable) have been paid, we will email you back the pet addendum signed by us.

 The pet may not be introduced to the building or the apartment under any circumstances until you have received the signed addendum back from us.

Licensing (Baltimore City)

Dogs and cats must be licensed prior to approval. You must have your pet(s) vaccinated for rabies and provide the rabies vaccination certificate in order to apply for a license. For more information on applying for a license online or by mail, visit:

Baltimore City Animal Licensing

You may also apply for a license in person at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) at 301 Stockholm St., Baltimore, MD 21230.

Spaying/Neutering

All dogs and cats over the age of three months are required to be spayed or neutered prior to being allowed into a Downtownian.com apartment, with no exceptions. This is to prevent territorial scenting and/or spraying, as well as other aggressive behaviors which may result in damage to the apartment and/or injury to other residents and their pets. To prove that the procedure has been done, you will be required to show either a letter or receipt from your veterinarian.

If your dog or cat is under the age of three months, a spay/neuter procedure may not be possible. In this case, we will ask you to provide proof of a scheduled appointment for the procedure, to take place no later than 90 days from the date the pet has been introduced to the apartment. You will also be charged a higher monthly pet rent of $75/mo until the procedure has taken place. Once the procedure has taken place, you must provide us with proof immediately, and we will reduce the monthly pet rent to $35/mo. If we do not receive proof of spay/neuter within three days of the date the procedure is scheduled to take place, we will ban the pet from the building permanently.

Crating of Animals

You must have an appropriately sized crate in your apartment at all times for each approved dog.

• Dogs must be crated whenever any visit, service or otherwise, is scheduled by our staff.
• If any of our staff or contractors are unable to enter your apartment on a scheduled visit due to an uncrated dog, you will be responsible for the full cost of the visit plus a recheduling fee.
• For more information on fees, see Service Fees.

Pet Waste

Pet waste is a very serious issue, as it can cause serious health concerns as well as a nuisance for your neighbors. Violations of the waste policy will result in immediate termination of your pet agreement, no warnings. Sorry to be so tough on these policies, but they're really important!

• Dog waste must be cleaned from all yards and sidewalks. That means bring a poop bag with you when you walk your dog. By the way, this is also a city ordinance, which makes it a law.
• Dog waste must be thrown into your own personal waste receptacles. Do not throw poop bags into common area receptacles in your building or into the dumpsters or common cans at your building (poop bags attracts rats real quickly - ewww). If you are found doing so, we will give you a choice between a fine or the immediate termination of your pet agreement. Get caught twice and we will immediately terminate your pet agreement without any further warnings.
• Cat pans, terrariums, cages, etc must be cleaned on a bi-weekly basis or whenever dirty, whichever comes first. Fecal smells are a clear indicator of a pan or cage needing to be cleaned. If we detect cat pan smells or we receive neighbor complaints, we will give you a choice between a fine or the immediate termination of your pet agreement. If it happens a second time we will immediately terminate your pet agreement without any further warnings.
• For more information on fees, see Service Fees.

If we discover any violations of our pet waste policies and we are unable to determine the culprit, we will fine all pet owners of the building. This means you should rat on your neighbors to protect yourself!!!

Disclaimer

Our pet policy, as with any other policy in this handbook, is subject to change at any time without notice. Any changes to this policy are immediately binding.

*Pets that have already been approved under previous weight limits are grandfathered, however even if you have an approved pet that exceeds the current weight limits, any new pet must comply with the current policy.