If you rent in Western Australia and want to keep a pet during your tenancy, get your landlord’s written approval using Form 25, the government-approved pet request form. Your landlord has 14 days to respond, starting the day after they receive it. A pet agreed to when the tenancy begins can be recorded in the tenancy agreement. Assistance animals follow a separate process and do not require the landlord’s permission or a pet bond.
Before you submit Form 25
Check your tenancy agreement and the rules that apply to the property. A strata or community titles scheme may have by-laws about animals or require approval from its council of owners. Ask the landlord or agent who will arrange any strata approval before you lodge Form 25. A council of owners has no set response time, so allow for that step to take longer.
If you are requesting a pet during an existing tenancy, complete steps 1–3 of Form 25 and give it to the landlord or agent with the form’s Important Information. The form asks for details such as the animal’s type, breed or species, age and size, as well as information relevant to whether it suits the property. Complete a separate form for each pet.
Keep a copy of the form and anything you send with it. Record when and how you delivered it, and keep proof of receipt. If you post the form, allow for delivery time: the 14-day period begins when the landlord receives it, not when you send it.
Count the 14 days
The landlord must respond in writing within 14 days, starting the day after receiving your request. They must say whether they approve it, approve it with conditions, refuse it, or need to apply to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection.
If the landlord does not respond as required, or fails to make a required application to the Commissioner within the 14 days, the request is treated as approved. If the landlord applies for approval of a refusal or condition, that decision is not effective unless the Commissioner approves it. Consumer Protection WA advises renters to wait for approval before bringing the pet into the home.
When a WA landlord can refuse a pet
A landlord cannot refuse a pet just because they prefer a property without pets. The same applies if the tenancy agreement says pets are not allowed or you had no pet when you signed the lease. For most reasons for refusing a request, the landlord must apply to the Commissioner and provide reasonable evidence.
The Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) allows a refusal if keeping the pet would breach a written law, local law or applicable scheme by-law. A landlord needs the Commissioner’s approval to refuse because the property is unsuitable for the particular animal. Approval is also required if the number of pets would be unreasonable or likely damage could not be repaired for less than the security bond. The landlord can also raise an unacceptable health or safety risk, undue hardship or a prescribed ground. Lack of fencing or outdoor space needed to care for a pet humanely is a possible example of unsuitability.
The grounds must relate to the pet and property in question. For example, explain how your dog will be safely contained if the yard is open, or how the animal’s needs fit the available space. The current Form 25 also identifies a dangerous dog under the Dog Act 1976 (WA) and undue hardship to a co-tenant who did not make the request as grounds requiring Commissioner approval.
What to include in Form 25
Give specific, accurate details that help the landlord assess your pet and the home. Form 25 asks about matters such as temperament, training, registration or licence details, enclosure needs, and whether the animal will live inside or outside. Describe the property’s outdoor area and fencing where relevant.
You can include registration details or training records and explain how you will manage the animal’s needs. Form 25 does not require every renter to provide these documents. Avoid promising arrangements that you cannot maintain.
Conditions and pet bonds
A landlord can set reasonable conditions about the number of animals or maintenance without the Commissioner’s approval. The same applies to cleaning and fumigation. Other conditions require approval. Consumer Protection WA gives professional carpet cleaning at set intervals and at the end of the tenancy as examples of cleaning conditions. By contrast, requiring an animal to stay outdoors or a bird to remain in a cage needs approval.
As at 15 October 2026, the maximum pet bond for a WA residential tenancy is $350, regardless of how many pets you have. The bond covers fumigation and pet-related damage and must be lodged with Bonds Administration. An assistance animal is not subject to a pet bond.
You remain responsible for pet-related nuisance, including noise, and for damage caused by your pet. Under the Act, that damage is not fair wear and tear.
Challenge a pet refusal or condition
You can apply to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection to challenge a refusal you believe is not permitted or a condition you believe is unreasonable. The Commissioner considers information from both sides and can decide the matter using the information provided. A party can appeal the Commissioner’s decision to the Magistrates Court within seven days.
