Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

Get rid of dog or move out

I moved into this duplex in Portsmouth in September. I signed a 1 year lease and in the lease it stated that I could have pets and had to pay a 250 deposit. Which was fine with me. My landlords have seen my dogs and know what breeds they are. A great dane and newfoundland, and never said anything about them. However the dogs have ''run down'' the grass in the small back yard that I have which the landlord has complained about and I agreed to replace the grass. Today I was presented with a pet addendum to lease and told to sign it and get rid of my dogs or move out. The new lease now states that i cant own a great dane, nothing over 40lbs, and i have to pay 500 per pet (250 refundable and 250 not). Is this legal??? These dogs are my babies, and I paid alot of money for them. Please help!


Asked on 2/17/08, 4:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Get rid of dog or move out

Your lease should be scrutinized to determine whether it may be legally amenable to the type of modification by landlord's addendum prior to its expiration date that you've described. If it is, you and your dogs will need to start packing. (But, you may wish to first have an attorney review both the lease and the addendum before you start hauling the suitcases from the closet and securing the moving boxes from wherever.)

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Answered on 2/17/08, 11:28 pm


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