Rental Living and Pets

We were recently contacted by Rent.com with an infographic on apartment living and pets. They also had a few tips by celebrity dog trainer Harrison Forbes and asked if we wanted to pass along. Indeed we do and here's why:

Did you know that checking to see if a potential new owner's landlord will permit animals is an important step in the adoption process at many shelters? It certainly is at Wayside Waifs, the shelter where I volunteer (and Allie's Alma Mater).

This time of year often shows an uptick in new apartment dwelling as students enroll in college and many opt to rent an apartment versus live in on-campus housing. So we thought this information might be helpful to you or someone you know:

Rental Research Tips
from Harrison Forbes

1. Don’t hide pet ownership! The stress of lying about / hiding your pet will show through your body language and tone in any situation. Your pet will ALWAYS misinterpret this stress as negative signals from their owner and may act out, bringing even more attention to their presence.
2. Research, research, research all of the environmental and lifestyle scenarios in your prospective location. Is it near dog-park or walking area? Do you have a heavy dog that can’t do three flights of stairs? Is there a weight restriction? Is there a pet deposit or pet fee? If so, is it refundable? All of these questions (and many more) can help you to determine if your pet would be comfortable in the new location and if it is even a feasible option for you to explore.
3. Many landlords are on the fence about pet ownership, and list pets in rental descriptions as a “case-by-case basis”, so when meeting with the management, plug the good attributes of your pet and sell yourself as a responsible pet owner by going through your pets’ routines and histories. Offer to schedule a pet interview so the landlord interacts with and feels comfortable with your pet. Landlords are letting you live in their expensive investment and you need to make them feel confident that you’re going to take care of it.

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UPDATE:

Another pet-friendly resource is ABODO - they make finding pet friendly rentals easy. They hope to help pet owners in need find the perfect place and avoid surrendering their pets. 

They even have a free service where they search for you to find the right rental that fits all your needs. 

They are listed on humanesociety.org, peta.org, and many other pet sites as a trusted resource.