apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

One thing the article doesn't mention is that shelters are overwhelmed by pets these days... the first thing a lot of people do when they buy a house is get a dog. And then the first thing that goes when you lose the house and have to move into an apartment is, unfortunately, the dog.

i had a problem finding a dog friendly apartment this past spring in eastern pennsylvania. the few places that did take dogs required extra money in the security deposit and/or more money per month. a lot of the places that did take dogs had (understandable) breed restrictions: no pit bulls, rotweilers, german shepherds. i have a jack russel/boston terrier mix and it turns out that the list also often included jack russel terriers because "they're such hyper dogs." no one cared that he is crate trained or that he's not really a hyper dog and that he rarely barks.

luckilly i was able to find an old factory building turned into stunning lofts that not only allows dogs but doesn't charge extra fees or have breed restrictions. out of 31 units in the building i think only 4 don't have dogs.

im having a hard time finding places in la that sound good and allows dogs too! im dying to get a dog, but have to find the apartment that allows it first! :(

When I was looking for an apartment a few years ago in Philadelphia, I didn't limit myself to just those places who would allow pets. If it didn't specify I would at least call and ask them. Surprisingly a few of the places said that it would be ok to have the dog. I love my pets and I would never move to a place that wouldn't take them. If I have to pay a little extra for their company, it's worth it to me.

I live in Chicago and am constantly upset at the dozens of people on Craig's List who are giving up their pets daily because they are moving to apartments that don't accept animals. I have moved many times with two cats and have NEVER had a problem finding a great (and reasonable!) space with no extra fees. I mean seriously, would you give up your kids if your new apartment wouldn't accept them? Having a pet is a commitment for life and anyone who can give one away for so trivial a reason is despicable.

: ) I love pet lovers.

I have always went to meet the landlord first, look at the house or flat then if I was really interested I would tell them I have a little dog Jack Russell always in my case and that we both come with excellent references. I have in some cases brought my dog with me, leave him in the car then if all is going well bring him out to meet the landlord.

If the ad clearly states no pets then don't bother but the ones that do not say then it is worth a shot. I have always found places this way. It takes a while but they are out there.
I would never give up my pet for any living arrangement there is always an option, its shameful that people do this. When I volunteered at the pound I could not believe the amount of dogs, senior dog like 12-14 years old left there to finish out their golden years because of a move, shameful.

because i have 4 fur babies (2 rescue kitties, well, 1 now, I just put my cancer-ridden baby to sleep.. anyway, and 2 rescue dogs) i put an ad up on craigslist so that i wouldn't have to call and ask, "do you accept pets? how about 4? 2 small dogs and 2 cats. do you charge additional fees? is the backyard fenced?" you get the point. the ad basically said that i had 4 animals and that i was a responsible young professional who needed a new home..yadda yadda..

i got a call from my now landlord and they were more than happy to accomodate me and my crew.. and i didn't have to pay any extra fees. they've even installed a pet door for me and a better gate to my backyard so they wouldn't escape! not to mention, i love my duplex and area of town.

i would recommend trying what i did. i was surprised that i got as many emails as i did from people who didn't care i had so many pets.

If you think renting with a pet is hard, try renting with a small child.

SF has more dogs per capita than children.

Landlords *hate* renting to families. They can't admit it, though, or they'd get into all sorts of hot water legally. So they let you go ahead and fill out the rental application, and then somehow end up picking a different tenant every time.

At least with pets you know where you stand. They can tell you up front whether you should even bother filling out the application.

I find it interesting that someone can complain about their dog being discriminated against and at the same time say it's "understandible" if my pit bull is banned. I shouldn't even have to add that my pit bull is crate trained, house trained and has has undergone extensive obedience training in preparation for his Delta Society evaluation (he will be a registered therapy pet).

Why is it okay to discriminate against one breed but not another?

When my mother was eight months pregnant with me, she and my dad were kicked out of their apartment because the complex did not allow children--not even newborns.

I don't even have a pet, but when I'm apartment hunting, I feel the strong urge to boycott apartments that don't allow them. I certainly expect apartments that don't allow pets to have a much lower monthly rent before I'll consider them.

Yes, dogs and kids are a landlords worst nightmare. It's not because they are rotten by nature. An alarming number of people do not train their pets or children, so these poor little guys have no idea how they should behave. As a result they can do a lot of damage to a rental property.

I don't think the frustration should be directed toward landlords who are trying to protect their property and quality of life for their good tenants. Let's be fair and say too many pet owners are not good guardians of our furry friends, and they are making a bad name for all animal lovers who rent.

My landlords who live above me have two small children who are *much* louder than my dog that never makes a peep. I realize it's "their" house and they make the rules, but to assume that all dogs sit at home and bark all day is ridiculous.

Also, most people I know who have dogs in apartments take much better care of their dogs and interact with them more than people who have houses and just leave the dog in the yard all day to fend for itself.

Perhaps folks are forgetting the nasty incident and subsequent lengthy trial here in SF a few years back where the lawyer/owners were keeping large dogs they couldn't control and how one of them attacked and killed the neighbor across the hall even as it's owner tried to drag the dog away by the leash...?

Of course this is an extreme example, but there are plenty of people who have animals who don't pick up after them and allow them to take over the apartment, destroying not only the tenants furnishings and property but carpets, doors, walls, wood flooring, etc - Repair costs for this type of damage can far outweigh a standard security deposit.

In addition, some pets can be an inconvenience for other tenants. Not all of us appreciate stepping over Spot's poo on the sidewalk outside the building and piss in the elevators - We don't enjoy the distinct aroma of Fluffy's litterbox wafting out into the hallway - and we don't feel the need to endure the endless barking/mewing while negligent owners spend the day/night/weekend elsewhere (Just becase they don't bark much when you're home doesn't mean they're equally silent when you're gone)

I too have a dog in the City, and I also look at nice listings and feel like I might as well keep a feral tiger in my home.

I don't think it's really about the dogs, however. I think it's that SF landlords are spoiled by the dread power they wield here. When every illegal basement studio and every converted closet can easily pull 50 applicants, pet ownership is just another sorting factor.

Oh well.

I can vouch that pet owners don't always make the best tenants. I've had quite a few roommates with pets who were not responsible at all.

To make myself and my pets stand out, I started making a pet resume. It had a photo, vaccination history, vet info, training info, and references. It got me in the door at so many places.

Sadly, I have three dogs today, and I don't think I'd ever be able to get into a rental with my crew.

Blame the pet owners for the lack of apartments!
No one else is at fault!

When I read "no pets" my blood boils. This is the main reason why hundreds of thousands of wonderful sweet innocent pets are euthanized every year. It seems everyone knows that animals bring an enormous amount of joy and companionship to our lives - everyone but landlords.

Well said Raven, I completely agree! My parents have rental property and I am currently a renter with a pet so I see both sides of it.
I currently live in a "college town" and have seen first hand the damage animals do to property. My boyfriend's roommate had a Weimaraner that complete chewed a hole (big enough to crawl through) through their bedroom door. I've seen other dogs chew up carpet, are not house broken, dig massive holes in back yards, etc. Even my two cats loved to use doorframes as scratching post and would pee on the carpet in protest when a roommate moved out. Every now and again even my miniature dachshund has an accident (and he's been to training classes). I take the best care of my animals and my house is virtually spotless. However, I can see why landlords don't allow pets. Luckly, my landlord does, but I pay a hefty non-refundable pet deposit. I don't mind, even though I will have the carpet cleaned and the doorframes replaced. But I completely understand... there is more damage done to the property if there is a pet living there than if not. My parents have rental property and don't allow animals and I don't blame them. We've grown up with pets- Great Danes and Rotties- all our lives, but we don't trust that people with pets will take as good of care of our property and we would. There are 4 dogs living in my building, and unfortunately, I am the only who cleans up after their pet.
I realized when I got a dog that some places may not allow it... it just comes with having a dog.
I can also understand some places not wanting kids. I'm not a kid person either. Especially on a Saturday morning when they are screaming at the pool and I'm trying to sleep in :-)

I am having a really hard time finding an apartment - I have 2 cats. Most places say no pets, and the ones that will allow pets only allow one.

i don't understand the "understandable breed restrictions" comment either.
my pittie is the quietest, least destructive dog i've ever met. even when all of the neighbors dogs are yapping and howling away, he stays quiet. so...why is restricting me from renting a place with him understandable???????

Right on, Raven amd JuliaL. I am a landord with a rental studio on my property. I also happen to be a dog lover and owner as well and have always rented to pet owners. Pets have a positive impact on a person's well being and I've found that my previous tenants who have had pets have been fine with the additional pet deposit and also pay the rent earlier than the due date.

Even if I didn't have a dog of my own, I would still rent to a pet owner. There is more than enough stress we all have to deal with on a daily basis so if you have a nice place to live and a furry, feathered or gilled face that is unconditionally happy to see you when you walk through the door, I believe that is the least I can do to help make the world a little kinder.

@Jen(SLC) - Good to bring up that idea (the doggie resume). I read an article once that encouraged dog owners to get their dog certified a "Canine Good Citizen" thru AKC, take their dog through every obedience class and keep a folder of the awards and certificates plus the aforementioned resume -- PROVE to the manager you and your dog are not 'typical' prospective renters. Offer to sign a rental contract addendum stating you will either move out or pay an agreed penalty should your dog prove to be a problem. If your dog can't pass the above programs, then you must expect to be turned down 90% of the time. Don't blame the manager; he's trying to keep ALL his tenants happy, and truthfully he's running a BUSINESS. In most cases - sorry SF! - it's strictly a business decision.

BTW: LOVE dogs; grew up w/one; it's with the irresponsible owners that the problems lie.

I 'smuggled' my cat for EIGHT years before purchasing my first place.... One of my big criteria was to own a place I could have a dog and not have to smuggle my cat any longer. I am now only restricted to two pets- no pits, rotties and no presicanarios are my only restrictions. I think that is based on bite incidents, and the SF incident that bepsf noted.

I am a happy home owner and kitty/doggie mom.

Seaside,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I wish landlords would interview pets. On paper, my roommate's rat terrier is ideal; purse-size and nearly hairless. But she'll bark and howl for HOURS. I'd take a large, quiet dog (or cat) any day.

Moxy Thunder- glad to hear your pit bull is so well behaved. I'm sure it took a lot of love and patience on your part to train him. The reason for the "breed restrictions" you mentioned is that some types of dogs have been bred to have certain traits, like digging, fetching, or protecting animals or people.

The most aggressive dogs will raise your homeowners insurance premiums or cause your insurance company to drop your policy. This is based on statistical data that shows a higher risk for these breeds, including pit bulls and rottweilers.

In Ontario, the Residential Tenancies Act actually makes "no pet" clauses illegal. (Security deposits are also forbidden, as well, so they can't even demand a higher one if you have a pet) - but it's WONDERFUL not to have to worry about that. My cats are generally great, other than a few screens i've replaced myself, and even though i HATE the dog down the hall (seriously, it won't shut up), it seems to make the building much more friendly.

(You can, however, as a "roomer" rather than a "leasee", forbid pets, because you're sharing primary living space and therefore allergies and such are a consideration. If it is, however, a fully separate unit, with a separate kitchen and bath, you cannot legally say "no pets" for any reason.)

i was surprised that i had a hard time finding a place in Virginia to move to with 2 cats (they only shred furniture with their claws and all the furniture is mine, so it's my problem, not the landlord's). Thankfully I found an independant landlord who agreed to take the cats (I sent a picture!) and with no additional deposits. Hooray!

so, i have been reading apartment therapy for about two years now, and live in austin. (i'm one of the ones hounding y'all to add an austin location!) in a week and a half i am moving to san francisco, and so i am ecstatic to have an apartment therapy for the city in which i live!

better, even, is this article! i am trying to find apartments in the city, and i have a doggie---and he's 50 pounds. to me, with a history of 100 pounders, he's not that large. but apparently, he's gargantuan in sf!

this article is so conveniently timed for me and just proves that this website rules!

Well, I am a pet owner (cat and rabbit) but can understand the "no dog" rule. I have lived in a few places where dogs were allowed and it was constant barking. One I shared a wall with and all day, all the time... that is until the owner came home.

It is very easy to get mad at landlords and make them out to be the bad guy but in my experience dogs are not terribly good neighbors - especially in an apartment setting.