As much as there is talk about drastically reducing residential rental rates, there are still many pet owners who live in fear of moving because finding pet-friendly rentals is an increasingly difficult task.
It is not advisable to try to sneak a dog or cat into a building that has a no pets policy. Not only are you breaking the rules, but you’re also setting yourself and your pets up for a potentially stressful life situation. Every patter of little (or big) paws, and every bark or meow will make you feel like an alarm is going off and you’ll get a call from the owner’s office at any moment.
Most future owners and neighbors probably have nothing against pets, and might even have a few of their own. However, they may have reservations about a new tenant’s ability to be a responsible pet-rearing neighbor due to previous bad experiences with people who: don’t clean up after their pets, leave stained carpets, have barking dogs for prolonged periods when left alone. Most of us have the common sense and concern for the well-being of our pets to keep their homes clean and provide them with adequate mental and physical exercise and training. Doing so dispels the top three concerns of homeowners; That the animals (and/or the litter boxes) are not kept clean and cause a bad smell, that the dogs bark and bother the neighbors or bark and jump on them in the common areas.
Make a great first impression on your landlord by providing details about your pet up front so they can get an idea of who this potential new feline or canine tenant is. Veterinary records, a couple of letters of reference from a previous trainer, groomer or neighbor, and a pet resume should suffice and also show them that you are responsible and serious about the added responsibility of renting with a pet.
The following is an example of a pet resume for my dog, Nora.
nora arden
Job Goal: To be a great pet neighbor. House trained, calm, social with people and other dogs.
Previous Experience: I lived in a rental apartment with approximately 20 units for 3 years.
Education: Graduated from Andrea Arden Dog Training Puppy Kindergarten, classes in basic and advanced manners, tricks and agility.
Awards and Honors: AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) 2002, Cover Dog for Dog-Friendly Dog Training (Wiley, 2007)
References: Previous recommendations from owners and neighbors with relevant contact information are attached.
Creating a resume for a pet may sound wacky to some, cute to others. But, the goal is to provide relevant information to a potential owner and instill a degree of confidence that you are a responsible pet parent and that your dog or cat will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Some pet-friendly rental search sites include: homewithpets, peoplewithpets, pets91,
mynewplace and rentblurb.