State legislators are not difficult to influence and there's lots of landliords you can mobilize.

@Shaune FaustWhat are the requirements under NY State tenancy legislation?

Any dog will destroy any property if the owner is a bad pet owner.Maryland just got rid of breed specific legislation, so it's up to your insurance company and your ability to judge owners and their dogs.

In my particular situation, I've come to the conclusion, based on legislation I've read (I added some material below for those that want to read it but not go looking for it), that we won't return the "pet deposit".

AAMOF based on legislation in other jurisdictions the legality of the sort of late fee clauses most have in their leases is highly questionable.In the UK for example  http://www.propertylawuk.net/residentialucta.html the following is cited as an unfair termimpose potentially excessive penalties on tenants for failure to meet the terms of the contract e.g. by charging excessive rates of interest on late payments of rentI like the chances of the tenant that argues that  the late fee should be construed as interest and that the 5% a month many landlords have in their leases is unlawfully usurious (multiply that by 4 if they were only a week late). 

"In states that have no legislated rule, landlords should follow the advice above."  

Having family from California from the early 1800's and still there, I get to see the West Coast trends and then compare them to Maryland, my home for most of my life.Maryland tends to be pretty liberal and a lot like parts of California but it has three distinct areas as politics go.I find in general that the North East from about Maryland on (Yes I know we are technically below the Mason Dixon Line <Grin>) tend to act on a inside out legislative process, city first, then county and then state. 

Switzerland introduced legislation last year, which I believe has been ratified, but I have not confirmed.

Here is a link to new proposed legislation to MANDATE COAL USE to create power.

I'm not up to date on the Dodd-Frank legislation on seller financing requirements or when it was enacted.