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San Francisco Business Times

May 18, 2012

Yelp’s landlord growls, shows teeth so the place won’t go to the dogs

By Jim Gardner

The powerful San Francisco-based Yelp has become an influencer of behavior, with everybody from plumbers to pediatricians living in fear of the wrath of the Yelpers.

But when it comes to Yelp employees’ dogs, however, landlord Wilson Meany Sullivan has made clear that what constitutes acceptable canine behavior will not be left to an online audience.

Rather, Yelp’s new lease at 140 New Montgomery St. spells out in considerable detail, and in impressive legalese, doggie dos and don’ts: Tenant’s Dog — as referred to in the lease, in the singular, complete with the capitalization — must be on a leash. Tenant’s Dog must be current on all vaccinations and provide documentation to the landlord. Tenant’s Dog may not be brought to work if it has contracted a disease that could “potentially threaten the health or wellbeing of any tenant or occupant of the Building (which diseases may include, but shall not be limited to, rabies, leptospirosis and lyme disease).” Tenant’s Dog may use only the elevators dedicated to Yelp. Tenant’s Dog may not spend the night in Yelp’s office. Tenant’s Dog must not “bark excessively or otherwise create a nuisance.”

Tenant’s Dog must not emit “any objectionable dog related noises or odors.” Last but not least, the lease also goes into detail about where Tenant’s Dog’s bodily waste must go — designated trash receptacles only.

And Tenant’s Dog will be punished with more than a rolled newspaper across the nose, or a bad Yelp review, should it be problematic: “Landlord shall have the unilateral right at any time to rescind Tenant’s right to have Tenant’s Dog in the Premises, if in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, Tenant’s Dog is found to be a substantial nuisance to the Project (for purposes hereof, Tenant’s Dog may found to be a “substantial nuisance” if Tenant’s Dog defecates in the Common Areas, damages or destroys property in the Project or exhibits threatening behavior).”

Down, landlord …

Read the original story here.