GUIDE OR SERVICE DOGS
The Law Against Discrimination as set forth in N.J.SA. 10:5-29.2, prohibits discrimination
against handicapped, blind or deaf people in renting or leasing housing accommodations. A
handicapped, blind or deaf person who has a service or guide dog, or who obtains a service or
guide dog, shall have full and equal access to all housing accommodations and shall not be
required to pay extra compensation. Any lease or rental agreement prohibiting pets shall not
apply to a service or guide dog owned by a handicapped, blind or deaf tenant. The tenant is
responsible for any damages done to the premises by the service or guide dog.
ADDING AND ENFORCING “NO PETS” PROVISION OF A LEASE
George Young v. Victor Savinon, et al., 201 N.J. Super. 1, established the reasonableness
requirement for changes in the provision of a lease (upon renewal). This case also established
the precedent that allows tenants in certain circumstances to keep their existing pets at their
rental units. In this case, the court found that tenants that were allowed to have pets and actually
had pets living in their rental units at the beginning of their tenancy and continued to have those
pets throughout their tenancies could not have their leases changed (upon renewal) by the new
(or existing) landlord to prohibit the tenants from keeping the pets that they currently had.
However, the landlord could prohibit the housing of any additional pets that those tenants may
acquire in the future. A landlord may also prohibit existing and future tenants who do not own
or maintain pets from caring for or maintaining pets on the premises.