What should I do about to keep my dogbut not be evicted?
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What should I do about to keep my dogbut not be evicted?
We have been living in our mobile home as a renter for almost 3 years now. When we first moved in we had a beagle and exactly 1 year ago we also got a boxer. He is house broken and a very good dog even with our 5 year old. Every other tenant in the trailer park he rents to has pets and has singled us out trying to make us get rid of our dog. However, our dog is like one of our kids. We are on a month-to-month lease. He informed me a few days ago he would be speaking to an attorney about getting rid of our dog. There is no leash law in this area and my dog has all his shots and has never bitten anyone. What should I do?
Asked on September 30, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Alabama
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
There may be very little you can do. A month to month lease gives the tenants a great deal of flexibility--you can leave on thirty-days notice--but also very little protection, since the landlord can terminate the tenancy, or make changes to it (such as not allowing a pet or dog) on a month's notice, too. Landlord's don't generally have to be fair or treat tenants the same, though they cannot discriminate on the basis of certain protected categories (such as race, sex, religion, age over 40, or disability). If you believe you are being discriminated against for one of those reasons, you may have a good case; otherwise, it is likely the landlord can either terminate your tenancy or force you to give up your dog. You might try to negotiate with him: if you could afford it, would he let you keep the dog for, say, an extra $25 per month? If you do form an agreement, try to get it in writing.
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