Texas Pet Agreement
Texas pet agreements are a legal document used between landlords and tenants. There are many features which can be added into a pet agreement. These agreements are used to cover liability and insurance issues which may arise at a later time.
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Description
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The Texas Pet Agreement is a contract written into a rental agreement between a landlord and tenant. Pet agreements can be written as part of the lease or as a separate document; in either situation pet agreements in Texas are enforceable as written contracts.
Use
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Pet agreements in Texas are used as protection from liabilities by the landlord of a property. Pet agreements can be used as written verification of insurance guidelines for certain property insurance. Some insurance companies in Texas require that certain breeds or weight limits be restricted for a policy to remain in effect; the most common restrictions are placed upon Rottweilers or pit bulls. Pet agreements can also be used to restrict whose pets are allowed; this would restrict tenants from caring for pets they don't own or housing pets the landlord was not notified of.
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Features
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A feature of pet agreements in Texas is proof that local and state pet laws are being followed. This could include proof of vaccinations under the Texas Rabies Control Act and that the pet is kept under proper control. Other features can include requirements which make the tenant responsible for compliance with any state or local laws such as tethering (HB-1141) or abandonment under the animal cruelty law (Penal Code 42.09) where a pet is left behind when a tenant moves out. A feature of a pet agreement written by the Texas Association of Realtors also states that any offspring from an allowed pet are to be promptly removed from the rental unit. Other features can include the landlord approving any pets before the tenant moves into the property.
Liability
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Pet agreements in Texas lay the main portion of liability on the tenant. If a pet agreement is signed, the lease becomes binding on the observance of the agreement as well as any other portion of the lease; these means a landlord can evict a tenant for repeated violations of the pet agreement. A pet agreement in Texas also can be enforced upon persons who have broken state or local ordinances concerning pets such as those stated in the "Features" section. Landlords are also protected by legal action or insurance claims should a tenant's pet cause damage to other property or persons.
Considerations
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Tenants can be required to sign a pet agreement even if they don't have pets; this ensures that the tenant understands the rules of the agreement in the event they get a pet in the future. Grandfather clauses should be written into pet agreements in case of changes to the pet agreements; this will allow existing tenants to continue to comply with the agreement while establishing new procedures for new tenants or pets.
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