The High Price of Putting up Pets

A tenant requested post:

The costs of owning a pet at the Jefferson include: a $250 fee, a $300 fee (only one of which is refundable), plus "rent" of $40 a month, per animal.  So if you have two dogs (under the not-actually-imposed weight limit of course), having a pet costs a grand total of $1,510 in the first year.  This is outrageous and unjustifiable.  The building does not have a no pets policy, which would be perfectly enforceable, but it does penalize the heck out of residents who choose to enjoy the benefits of pet ownership, not to mention those who would provide a loving home for adopted pets, which should be encouraged.  These fees are not reflective of the potential costs of repairing damage to an appartment caused by animals.  "Standard" as such fees may be among certain managment companies, it doesn't make this fee-gouging fair, necessary, or reasoned.  In fact, the reason the practice is "standard" is likely because companies have realized this is easy cash flow with no expediture.  In business, there is rarely something for nothing, but this is exactly what these fees represent.  We the residents pay rent, and in return, we get the use of our apartments.  We pay a security deposit, which provides recourse to the landlord in case we cause damage.  We pay a pet "damage" fee, which is justifiable because animals may cause unique damage to walls and carpets or require that the apartment be de-odorized.   The $40 per animal, per month fee and the other non-refundable fee, however, are truly "something for nothing."  This money lines the coffers of our corporate landlord completely gratuitiously. 

The fees are a penalty without purpose and they do not serve to benefit the residents of the Jefferson at all.  These fees are nothing like the amenity fee, which gives residents the benefit of using the facilities and paying for their upkeep, or even renting the pub room, because the resident pays for the benefit of excluding others from a community space.  If the purpose of these rip off fees is to discourage pet ownership for otherwise legitimate reasons of quality of life, building upkeep, tenant allergies, etc., then the building should enforce a strict no pets policy and leave it at that.  Gouging tenants for no reason is wrong way to go about things and breeds ill-will.  Animal adoption is a beneficial behavior, a public good, and one which should not be cost-prohibited by unexplained policies.  It's almost evident why petowners in this building let their animals piss all over the elevators...it would be an interesting demonstration in civil disobedience if it didn't gross out everyone else and, techically speaking, break your lease.