Pet Addendum in Wisconsin

Adds pet terms to a lease. Assistance animals for people with disabilities are not pets: no pet fee or pet rent may be charged for them under federal fair housing rules.

What Wisconsin law says

Pet deposits and fees	No statute specifically on pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent, and Wisconsin sets no cap on security deposits. A 'security deposit' includes all payments and deposits given as security for the tenant's obligations, so a refundable pet deposit is treated as part of the security deposit and must be returned, less lawful deductions, within 21 days under the deposit rules. Source: Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.02(11), ATCP 134.06; Wis. Stat. § 704.28(4)
Service & support animals (state law)	State fair housing law covers both trained assistance animals and emotional support animals (ESAs: animals that provide emotional support, comfort or companionship but are not trained to perform tasks). A landlord may not refuse to rent, evict, charge extra compensation, or harass because of a disability-related animal. For an ESA, the landlord may request reliable documentation of the disability and the disability-related need for the animal from a licensed health professional; for a trained animal it may request documentation as provided by statute. The tenant is liable for sanitation and damage caused by the animal. The animal may be refused if documentation is not provided, if it would impose an undue burden, or if the specific animal poses a direct threat or would cause substantial damage that cannot be reduced by another accommodation. Misrepresenting a disability or the need for an ESA to obtain housing carries a forfeiture of at least $500 (also for a health professional who misrepresents a patient's need). Federal Fair Housing Act rules also apply. Source: Wis. Stat. 106.50(1m)(im), (2r)(bg), (2r)(br)

Pet deposits and fees

No statute specifically on pet deposits, pet fees or pet rent, and Wisconsin sets no cap on security deposits. A 'security deposit' includes all payments and deposits given as security for the tenant's obligations, so a refundable pet deposit is treated as part of the security deposit and must be returned, less lawful deductions, within 21 days under the deposit rules.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.02(11), ATCP 134.06; Wis. Stat. § 704.28(4)

Service & support animals (state law)

State fair housing law covers both trained assistance animals and emotional support animals (ESAs: animals that provide emotional support, comfort or companionship but are not trained to perform tasks). A landlord may not refuse to rent, evict, charge extra compensation, or harass because of a disability-related animal. For an ESA, the landlord may request reliable documentation of the disability and the disability-related need for the animal from a licensed health professional; for a trained animal it may request documentation as provided by statute. The tenant is liable for sanitation and damage caused by the animal. The animal may be refused if documentation is not provided, if it would impose an undue burden, or if the specific animal poses a direct threat or would cause substantial damage that cannot be reduced by another accommodation. Misrepresenting a disability or the need for an ESA to obtain housing carries a forfeiture of at least $500 (also for a health professional who misrepresents a patient's need).

Federal Fair Housing Act rules also apply.

Source: Wis. Stat. 106.50(1m)(im), (2r)(bg), (2r)(br)

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PET ADDENDUM to the lease for [rental address] dated [lease date]

Tenant: [tenant name] Pet(s): [type, breed, name, weight]

Pet deposit: $[pet deposit] (counts toward any state deposit limit where the law says so). Monthly pet rent: $[pet rent]

The tenant keeps the pet under control, cleans up after it, and pays for damage it causes beyond normal wear and tear.

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Pet Addendum for other states · Wisconsin tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.