Finding Pet Friendly Housing
Moving is one of the most common reasons pets are relinquished to shelters. With proper planning and a little effort, the entire family can make the move together.
Plan ahead. The more time you have, the more options you’ll have.
Prepare a pet resume for prospective landlords to review. (Details below.)
Be flexible. If you have difficulty finding an apartment in the area of your choice, consider nearby communities. Look into apartment complexes as well as private homes.
Use multiple resources to search, including websites, realtors, newspaper classifieds and word of mouth via local “animal friendly” facilities and businesses (veterinary offices, animal shelters, groomers, dog parks, etc).
If you found the perfect place, but pets are prohibited, contact the owner/manager. Explain that your pet is family and you’d like to rent the home, but you will not abandon a family member to do so. Ask if they would consider making an exception.
- Offer a higher security deposit to cover any damage your pet may do.
- Offer a non-refundable “cleaning fee” to cover any additional cleaning your landlord may deem necessary.
- Offer to pay a monthly “pet fee” in addition to your rent.
Preparing a Pet Resume – A sample pet resume may be downloaded .
Start with the basics. Include a physical description: species; breed (or mix); sex (including whether or not the pet is spayed/neutered); age; and size. Including a photo could be helpful, if you choose a picture that shows your pet at his best. Briefly state your pet’s personality and positive traits.
Education, Titles, Awards, Achievements
No resume is complete without highlighting educational accomplishments and special achievements. If your dog has graduated from an obedience class, state the title of the class and the date he/she graduated. Other accomplishments may include a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title; obedience titles; a certified therapy dog; etc.
No resume is complete without highlighting educational accomplishments and special achievements. If your dog has graduated from an obedience class, state the title of the class and the date he/she graduated. Other accomplishments may include a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title; obedience titles; a certified therapy dog; etc.
If your pet has notable life experiences or touching attributes, they may also be worth mentioning. These could be as exciting as your dog doing life-saving search and rescue work or as simple as your cat comforting your elderly, homebound mother.
Experience:
Since your pet is effectively “interviewing” as a potential tenant, you want to include his/her experience as such. If you’ve lived in rental housing with your pet, include the dates and location; describe the situation; and explain how well your pet did. If your security deposit was returned, mention this as well.
References:
References are the most important part of your pet’s resume. At a minimum, include a letter from your veterinarian and your current landlord. If your pet has lived in more than one rental property, include letters of recommendation for former landlords if possible. Ideally, also include letters from current immediate neighbors. You may also wish to include recommendations from your groomer, obedience instructor, and others who know your pet.
Closing:
Close with a heartfelt explanation of your pet’s importance to you. You may also wish to mention your walking/care routine and provisions you make when you travel. Reiterate notable accomplishments and include any details that you feel would be pertinent to your specific situation.
A final note: Be honest and don’t embellish. It will only serve to cause problems later if you misrepresent your pet. Doing so could also jeopardize the chances of others who wish to rent with their pets.
Once you’ve found pet-friendly housing…
Be considerate. Clean up after your dog when walking in the common areas. Don’t allow your pet to be noisy or to roam free. Don’t permit destructive behavior in the home or the yard. Your ability to rent with a pet in the future depends on your being a good tenant and a landlord’s bad experience could also cost others the opportunity to rent with their pets.
More moving tips…
During the actual move, be sure your pet is safe in a crate or secure room while belongings are moved in/out.
It’s a good idea to plan your move so you can spend a few days with your pet in your new home as he/she adjusts to the surroundings.
If you’ve moved to a new city, find a veterinarian before you need one and schedule a “get acquainted” visit to assess the office and staff. Find the nearest emergency veterinary hospital and have their phone number and address readily available. Drive to the facility to be sure you’re clear on directions before an emergency arises.
