Quote:The first, and most widely known types of laws are municipal or local "Pet Laws" which deem that any such "no pet" provision is waived for the duration of the tenancy if the landlord fails to enforce the provision by commencing an action or proceeding within three months of the tenant's open and notorious harboring of the pet

Quote:Appellate Division case law has confirmed that the proceeding is commenced by the service of the Petition and Notice of Petition. (RPAPL Section 731; CPLR Section 401) The case is not commenced by letters, or service of the predicate Notice to Cure or Notice of Termination. Thus, if the landlord fails to serve the Petition and Notice of Petition within three months of has actual or constructive knowledge of the pet, any "no pet" clause is deemed void pursuant to the Pet Law.

Quote:There is no requirement under the Pet Law that the permission of the landlord be sought prior to introducing a pet into the home. As long as the Board's employees and agents are aware of the dog by your "open and notorious" behavior, constructive knowledge of the pet will be attributed to the Board, or landlord, in a court of law, for purposes of determining when the three month period commences.

It's important to prove when the tenant got the pet, and when the landlord, by way of its agents and employees, became aware of the pet, and that the keeping of the pet was "open and notorious".

The following suggestions may help to prove in court when a pet first entered the building and when the landlord became aware of it.

The best proof is any communication from the landlord which shows that he knew of the dog or dogs for more than three months. Sometimes the landlord will even let three months pass between the time of service of the Notice to Cure and the service of the Petition and Notice of Petition commencing the holdover proceeding.

Another form of proof is the testimony of any neighbors who are willing to come into court to testify. the neighbors should be able to testify how long you had the dog, and if the pet were seen by the landlord's employees. (Sorry, letters and petitions from neighbors generally are not admissible in a trial.)

Create a paper trail of dated government documents and medical bills to indicate duration of pet ownership. Save the adoption certificate, license, bill of sale, or American Kennel Club papers you receive.

Bring the dog to the veterinarian immediately. Save all bills and records of inoculations, rabies tags, spaying or neutering certificates.

Take pictures of the pet in the apartment and in the building, and date them when you get them from developing. Every picture is worth a thousand words, so be creative. A photo of you, the dog, and the doorman next to the building Christmas display would show that the building's agents were aware of the dog at a certain point in time, for example. Every cat sits in the window: how about a photo, from the outside of the building, of your cat sitting in the window of your apartment, to prove "open and notorious" harboring of the cat? At least one case has been proven by the tenant's keeping careful photographic records of her dog's growth, from tiny puppy to full grown dog, in the apartment and around the neighborhood.

Save any letters or complaints from the Board or management pertaining to the pet.

Keep a log in a notebook, used exclusively for this purpose, in which you record any date that workers were in your apartment and saw the dog, or if the super or doorman saw the dog. Make sure that all entries are made on or near the time of the occurrence

Quote:Yeah, but Spit lives in NJ, not NY.

Quote:Oh, I didnt really read it. I was just trying to make you look stupid.

Quote:if the apartment managers knew about the cats or if you have lived there with the cats for more than 6 months without a complaint then according to NY state law you cannot be penalized or forced to move. your lease must remain unchanged. went through this myself and once presented with the law my lanlord backed off.