Renting With Pets
When you rent, you are using space owned by someone else and you pretty much have to follow their rules regarding keeping companion animals in the space you rent. One would hope those who live with companion animals would take them into account when finding a living space to rent but “moving and can’t take my cat” is often the way things work out and animals are left homeless at the last minute.
Finding a rental that allows pets can be a challenge, but people do it every day and, along with referrals from others who own pets, resources to search pet-friendly rentals are available online. Rent.com has a pet-friendly listing by city, state or zip code and by any criteria you need as well as general listings for rentals. Hotpads.com, an online search used for both rentals and home purchases, includes pet-friendly information in their searches.
Renting with your companion animals usually costs a little more and reduces the number of places you can choose from, but we already know we’ll be paying a little more for the joy of living with a cherished animal companion and we often modify our living space to accommodate them without it being a major inconvenience. Data compiled by Hotpads.com shows that on average renters with animal companions pay 3.5% more than they otherwise would and have 33% fewer apartments to choose from. They used their data on available rentals to rank the metropolitan areas with the most pet-friendly rental listings in apartment buildings throughout the country. You can read the information on their website.
If you are considering a move and have an animal companion, please consider them when choosing a rental. Don’t presume everyone permits pets, and don’t find out when you are about to move in. Many rentals permit certain pets or limit the numbers. It’s also risky business, as well as a breach of contract, to move in with your animal companion when having an animal in your rental is not in your lease.
If you are permitted to have your animal companions in your rental be responsible with their care and activities—pee-soaked carpets, shredded flooring and walls and scratched woodwork may make a property owner who permits pets change their mind after they clean up after a destructive animal or an owner who neglects clean up, and that also makes it hard for future renters who may have to pay even more as a premium to have their animal companions with them.
Also understand that if you were permitted an animal companion when you signed your lease and are told that has changed at a later date you have rights to appeal that decision which vary from city to city and state to state.
Read more articles about Health and Safety and Veterinary Medicine.
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This is an awesome post. Moving seems to be one of the top excuses for relinquishing a pet. I wish that everyone would allow pets, but that just isn’t reality. Unfortunately, irresponsible pet owners ruin a lot of things for responsible ones. I will be giving this a share in the next few days 🙂
Robin, of all the dumb excuses to abandon pets I find “moving” to be the most thoughtless and most infuriating. Thanks for sharing at some point, and let’s get those lists out there!
B
grate post today !
L
Thanks, L! Share that online listing site! No excuses!
You can also search Craigslist by selecting “Cats OK,” “Dogs OK” and “Cats and Dogs OK” as options. It’s actually a lot harder to rent with dogs because many rentals have size or breed restrictions, although cat-friendly rentals often have number restrictions — many have a maximum of two cats. Renting with three cats has been a challenge, but I’ve been able to find nice and safe homes. I’d never move without my cats, any more than a parent who had children would consider abandoning them at an orphanage because they couldn’t find child-friendly housing.
Unfortunately, although there are laws that protect people with children against housing discrimination, there are no such laws when it comes to people with pets.