My fiance owns an apartment building, and I have been working for apartment management companies for the past four years. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do unless they will allow you to pay the deposit they charge for cats (assuming they still do). Since your lease states you don't own a pet, you are not allowed to have one in your apartment. Your good behavior with Fred won't help you if new management doesn't want him there. Normally, a management company with enough units to keep them busy doesn't bother residents who have unauthorized pets provided they are picking up after it and don't have complaints about barking or violent dogs. You can check government websites to see if there are any laws regarding ownership changes. Perhaps you will be allowed to stay until the end of your lease. There is one law that may help you. It's a national law, part of Fair Housing. Animals can be classified as service animals rather than pets. If you can get a doctor to agree that he will testify under oath that you need Fred for emotional support, they cannot evict you for having him. (Be careful not to get another ferret. Usually only one pet can be considered a service animal unless one is a seeing eye dog and one is a seizure-detecting dog, etc.) If you live alone and never had kids, you could probably say that Fred is the child you never had. Basically, a doctor has to say that should Fred be taken away from you, your emotional health would be at risk. Normally, they do not actually have to go to court. They just have to sign something saying they would. You have to have a diagnosable issue, but with the numerous problems people face and the numerous diagnosed conditions, I'm sure you'll have something. I'm sure I would be suicidal if someone took my ferrets away. http://hum.wa.gov/FAQ/FAQServiceAnimal.html Natalie Fontane [Posted in FML 7465]