Q: Is it illegal to dogsit at my apartment for my 70 year old grandmother’s pet if on the lease pets aren’t allowed?
My grandmother asked me to dog sit for her for two weeks while she’s moving. I let my landlord know out of decency and he told me it was okay. He has a father that is very controlling and isn’t the landlord and told him to tell me I can’t dog sit at my apartment. I went to speak to him and he yelled and screamed at me and slammed the door in my face. They have a daughter that also brings her pet over to stay the night sometimes or spend the day here. Is it okay for me to dogsit for two weeks and then give my grandmother her dog back or is it illegal too?
A:
This is not a legal question; it is a practical question the answer to which is contained in your lease. And the fact that the landlord's daughter has had pets living at her apartment does NOT matter.
If you lease does NOT allow pets, then regardless of who said otherwise you may be evicted if you violate the clear terms of the lease.
Now, having said all that: If you have been leasing the apartment for more than a few months, and if your landlord is happy to have you and has not been upset at anything else you may have done, IMO the two week period will come and go without the landlord's angry father ever becoming aware of the dog being there (unless he stops by the apartment complex on a regular basis, looking for other tenants to get angry and yell at).
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