πΎ Key Takeaways About Pet Screening
- Pet Screening is part of the rental application process. Applicants may need to create a profile for a household pet, an assistance animal, or confirm that they do not have an animal.
- Each pet needs its own profile. Residents should provide accurate information such as breed, age, weight, photos, vaccination records, and veterinary details when requested.
- Applicants without pets may still need to complete the process. A no-pet profile confirms that no animals will be living in the rental property.
- Assistance animals are reviewed differently from household pets. Service animals and emotional support animals are not treated as pets under applicable housing guidelines, but supporting information may be required for review.
- Service animals and emotional support animals are not the same. Service animals are trained to perform disability-related tasks, while emotional support animals provide support through their presence.
- The FIDO Score helps evaluate household pet profiles. The score may consider factors such as profile completeness, vaccination records, pet history, and other submitted information.
- Complete and accurate information can prevent delays. Missing documents, outdated records, or incomplete answers may slow the review of a pet or assistance animal profile.
- Pet policies can vary by property. Applicants should review the specific community’s limits, fees, deposits, breed restrictions, and other requirements before applying.
Finding a rental home that works for every member of your household, including your animals, should be as straightforward as possible. Putnam Properties uses PetScreening to create a consistent process for residents with household pets, applicants requesting an assistance-animal accommodation, and residents who do not have an animal.
This guide explains how to create your profile, what information you may need, how the FIDO Score works, and the important differences between household pets, service animals, and emotional support animals.
What Is PetScreening?
PetScreening is an online platform that collects and organizes animal-related information for housing providers. Depending on your situation, you will create one of three profile types:
Household Pet Profile
Assistance Animal Profile
No Pet/Animal Profile
PetScreening reviews the information submitted through its platform, while Putnam Properties retains responsibility for final rental and pet-policy decisions. PetScreening itself does not approve or reject household pets.
The process helps residents keep vaccination records, photos, behavioral information, and other important details together in one profile. Pet profiles may also be reusable with other participating housing providers.
Who Needs to Complete a Profile?
Every applicant or resident should select the profile that accurately represents their household.
Household Pet Profile
Choose this option for a traditional household pet, such as a dog or cat that is not being submitted as a disability-related assistance animal.
An annual profile fee may apply. During the process, you may be asked to provide:
The animal’s name, age, breed, sex, and weight
Current photographs
Vaccination information
Spay or neuter status
Microchip details, when applicable
Behavioral history
Bite or incident history
Veterinary information
Information about the owner’s care of the animal
Assistance Animal Profile
Choose this option when requesting a reasonable accommodation for a service animal or another disability-related assistance animal.
PetScreening does not charge a profile fee for assistance-animal accommodation requests. Depending on the circumstances, the platform may request information necessary to evaluate the accommodation request. PetScreening states that its review follows applicable housing guidelines and may include verification with a qualified third-party healthcare provider when appropriate, without requesting the specific nature of the applicant’s disability. Learn more through the PetScreening Assistance Animal process.
An assistance animal should not be submitted as a household pet merely to speed up the process. Selecting the correct profile helps ensure the request is reviewed through the appropriate channel.
No Pet/Animal Profile
Choose this free option if no pet or animal will live in the home.
You will be asked to complete an affidavit confirming that you do not currently have an animal and that you understand the property’s animal policies.
How to Create Your PetScreening Profile
Begin at putnamproperties.petscreening.com.
1. Sign in or create an account
Whenever possible, use the same email address you used for your Putnam Properties rental application. This makes it easier to connect your PetScreening information with your application.
2. Select the correct profile type
Choose one of the following:
Household Pet
Assistance Animal
No Pet/Animal
Read the descriptions carefully before continuing. Selecting an incorrect profile may delay the review.
3. Gather your information
Before beginning a Household Pet Profile, it can help to have the following ready:
Clear, recent photographs of the pet
Vaccination records
Veterinarian contact information
Microchip number, if applicable
Spay or neuter documentation
Breed, age, weight, and sex
Behavioral and bite-history information
For an Assistance Animal Profile, follow the prompts carefully and provide only the information requested for the accommodation review.
4. Complete every applicable section
Incomplete answers or missing documents may delay processing. Be accurate and transparent, particularly when answering questions about weight, breed, vaccinations, behavior, and prior incidents.
5. Review and submit
Check all information before submitting the profile. If you later make changes, be sure to select “Publish Changes” so the updated information becomes visible to the housing provider.
6. Keep the profile current
Profiles remain active for one year and must be renewed annually. Household Pet Profiles may have a renewal fee, while Assistance Animal and No Pet/Animal Profiles are generally completed without a fee. Some accounts may be set to renew automatically, so review the renewal settings in your account. PetScreening provides additional information about annual profile renewals.
For technical assistance, contact PetScreening at support@petscreening.com.
How the FIDO Score Works
Household Pet Profiles may receive a FIDO Score ranging from zero to five paws. According to PetScreening, the score is designed to help housing providers evaluate housing-related risk associated with a household pet.
The score generally considers three categories—the “ABCs” of pet screening:
Affirmations
Behavioral information
Compatibility with the property’s policies
Individual factors may include:
Breed
Age
Weight
Sex
Behavioral history
Bite or incident history
Vaccination documentation
Spay or neuter status
Photographs
The pet owner’s care and recordkeeping
A five-paw score suggests potentially lower housing-related risk, while a one-paw score may indicate potentially higher risk. A zero-paw result can occur when the profile contains a factor that conflicts with a property’s established policy, such as a weight, breed, age, spay/neuter, or bite-history restriction. PetScreening offers a more detailed explanation of its FIDO scoring factors.
The FIDO Score is not the same as final approval. Putnam Properties reviews the complete application and the applicable property policies before making a decision.
The FIDO Score is intended for household pets. Assistance-animal accommodation requests follow a separate review process and should be submitted through an Assistance Animal Profile.
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals: What Is the Difference?
The terms “service animal” and “emotional support animal” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have different definitions.
Service animals
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service animal is generally a dog that has been individually trained to perform work or tasks for a person with a disability. The work must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
Examples may include a dog trained to:
Guide a person who is blind
Alert a person who is deaf
Retrieve medication or necessary items
Detect and respond to a medical episode
Provide physical stability
Interrupt a disability-related behavior
Assist during a psychiatric episode through a trained task
The defining feature is training to perform specific disability-related work or tasks. The animal’s presence alone is not the trained task. The ADA’s service-animal guidance explains that animals providing comfort solely through their presence do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Emotional support animals
An emotional support animal provides comfort or emotional support that helps alleviate one or more effects of a person’s disability. Unlike an ADA service animal, an emotional support animal is not defined by individualized training to perform a specific task.
Emotional support animals also do not automatically have the same public-access rights as ADA service animals. For example, rules applying to stores, restaurants, and other public accommodations differ from housing rules.
Housing rules are different and evolving
Housing accommodation requirements are governed by a different legal framework from the ADA rules covering public places. Additionally, federal enforcement policy concerning untrained emotional support animals changed in 2026 when HUD reconfirmed the rescission of its 2020 Assistance Animals Notice and announced revised Fair Housing Act enforcement priorities.
HUD’s current memorandum states that federal enforcement will prioritize cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance. It also explains that this enforcement position does not eliminate private legal rights, does not resolve obligations under other laws such as Section 504 or the ADA, and may be followed by future rulemaking. You can review the 2026 HUD enforcement memorandum.
Because federal, state, and local requirements may differ, and because the law continues to evolve, assistance-animal requests should be evaluated individually. Applicants should complete the Assistance Animal Profile and provide the information requested during that review.
Important Things to Remember About Assistance Animals
An assistance animal is not treated as a household pet simply because it is an animal. However, residents remain responsible for the animal’s conduct, care, supervision, and compliance with reasonable health and safety requirements.
An assistance-animal request does not generally excuse:
Damage caused by the animal
Uncontrolled or dangerous behavior
Failure to supervise the animal
Failure to clean up after the animal
Violations that create a direct threat or serious safety concern
Online registrations, identification cards, certificates, vests, or badges do not automatically establish that an animal qualifies for a disability-related housing accommodation. The review focuses on applicable facts and reliable information, not documentation purchased online.
Tips for a Faster, Smoother Review
Before submitting your profile:
Use the same email address used on your rental application.
Select the correct profile category.
Enter accurate breed and weight information.
Upload clear, current photographs.
Include complete vaccination documentation.
Disclose behavioral or bite history truthfully.
Verify that all uploaded documents are readable.
Respond promptly if PetScreening requests clarification.
Publish any changes made after the initial submission.
Renew the profile before it expires.
Do not create a Household Pet Profile for an animal being submitted as an assistance-animal accommodation request.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Assistance-animal requirements can vary depending on the property, applicable law, funding programs, and individual circumstances. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Screening
What is Pet Screening?
Pet Screening is a secure, third-party service that helps verify information about pets, service animals, and emotional support animals. It provides property managers with consistent documentation while making it easier for residents to submit their pet information online.
Do I need to complete a Pet Screening profile if I don't have a pet?
Yes. Every applicant is required to complete a Pet Screening profile, even if they do not have a pet. Applicants without pets can quickly create a "No Pet" profile at no cost as part of the application process.
Is there a fee to create a Pet Screening profile?
There is no charge to create a "No Pet" profile or to register a verified service animal or emotional support animal. Fees may apply when registering household pets, depending on your property's requirements.
What information will I need to complete my pet profile?
You'll typically provide your pet's breed, age, weight, vaccination history, and a recent photo. You may also be asked to include veterinary contact information and upload supporting documents if applicable.
What is a FIDO Score?
A FIDO Score is generated by Pet Screening to help evaluate a pet's overall profile based on the information provided. Factors such as vaccination records, responsible pet ownership, and profile completeness may contribute to the score.
What is the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal?
A service animal is individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability and is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). An emotional support animal provides comfort through companionship but is not trained to perform specific tasks and is evaluated under different housing guidelines.
How long does the Pet Screening process take?
Most profiles can be completed in just a few minutes. If additional documentation is required for a service animal or emotional support animal, the review process may take additional time depending on the information submitted.
Where do I create my Pet Screening profile?
You can create your Pet Screening profile by visiting Putnam Properties Pet Screening. Completing your profile is an important step in the rental application process.
