Renter's guide

Pet Reference Letter for a Landlord (With Template)

A pet reference letter is a short note from someone who knows your dog, usually a previous landlord, saying how your dog behaved and how you looked after them. For a landlord weighing a pet application, it's one of the most convincing things you can include.

Who to ask

1. A previous landlord or property manager. The strongest reference, because they can speak to the same things your new landlord worries about: noise, damage and complaints.
2. A trainer or doggy daycare. Good for temperament, especially around other dogs and people.
3. Your veterinarian. Useful for health and vaccination history. Some clinics will only confirm records rather than write a letter.
4. A neighbor or pet sitter. Helpful as a second reference if you don't have a previous landlord.

What a good letter says

• How they know you and your dog, and for how long.
• Two or three specific, honest observations. “Quiet when left alone during the workday” is more useful than “the best dog ever.”
• For a landlord: whether there were complaints, and the condition of the unit at move-out.
• How to contact them, so the new landlord can check.

Keep it to one page. Landlords read these quickly, and a short, specific letter reads as more credible than a long one.

Template

You can send this to the person you're asking. They should change the wording to match what they actually saw, and sign it themselves.

[Date]

To whom it may concern,

I'm writing to recommend [Owner's name] and their dog, [Dog's name], a [age]-year-old [breed].

I know them as [their landlord / property manager / trainer / veterinarian / neighbor] at [property or business] from [start date] to [end date].

During that time, [Dog's name] was [one or two honest observations, for example: quiet in the building, friendly with neighbors, well behaved on a leash]. [Owner's name] [one observation about the owner, for example: always picked up after their dog and kept vaccinations current].

[If a landlord: The unit was left in good condition at move-out, and we received no complaints about the dog.]

I'd be happy to answer questions. You can reach me at [phone] or [email].

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title, property or business]

How to ask

Ask by email, keep it short, and make it easy to say yes: include the template, your move-out date, and the name of the building you're applying to. Give them a few days. Only use a quote or letter that the person actually wrote or agreed to.

Put it with your pet resume

A reference letter works best alongside a pet resume that covers vaccinations, training and your care plan. In the Pawlease questionnaire you can add up to two references with a short quote each, and they appear on page one of your PDF. See what landlords look for for the rest.

Common questions