My husband and I are trying to buy a house but in the meantime we are renting. A month ago we got a new landlord. He has told us that we need to either get rid of our dog or leave. I can't afford to pay 1st, last, and rent on a new place and I already paid the last landlord 375 towards the dog. Can he do this? I really think it is because my husband has complained a couple of times about loud neighbors and people parking in the fire lanes. Can we be evicted if we have always paid our rent on time and can he just decide he doesn't like us and make us leave?

Do you have a written lease? If you do then you don't have to go anywhere until the lease term is over. If you don't have a written lease then the landlord can end your tenancy with 30 days advance notice.

What does the lease agreement say about having pets? Are there any circumstance in the agreement where the landlord can forbid you having a pet?

Is the money you paid for the dog ($375) outlined in the lease as a pet deposit? Does it say anything about pets or the rules of having them in the lease? I think (not 100%) that if you are in violation of a lease that they can ask you to leave. But, since you have paid some sort of pet deposit - you may be safe. Did you keep records?

The pet policy was that you had to pay a deposit and no big dogs. Mine is a small dog and I paid the policy. Our lease though ended last January.

If you paid a pet deposit and can prove it, then he may not be able to evict you. I think even on a month to month lease, he would have a hard time getting a court to go along with it only because of a pet issue.

But that's still iffy, he might win. He might claim that he is terminating the lease because he wants to and no special reason. Essentially on a month to month, he can terminate at any time with sufficient notice.

That is true - with a month to month - either party can terminate with (usually) a 30 day written notice.
Has he provided you that? Or is all of this verbal?

So far it has all been verbal.