Author: Rayanne Morris

Figuring out where to live if you own pets has always been tougher than doing it without them. But, if you’ve had them for a while, saying goodbye would be too painful. Fortunately, there are plenty of areas where they’ll let you stay with pets. So, here’s what to look for if you’ve been having a hard time.

Ask About Breed Restrictions

First and foremost, you have to see if they’ve restricted breeds. Some places won’t let you rent if you own particular breeds. So, if you have one of them, you need to know if they’ll allow them. Just give the place a call and ask about their pet policies. Usually, they’ve written everything down on something they can send to you via email. So, you can get them to send it and see what it says. If there’s nothing about particular breeds, it’s safe to assume there won’t be a problem.

Figure Out if There’s a Pet Deposit

Before signing, one more thing to check is whether they’ve asked for a pet deposit. If they have, then you’ll need to pay them whatever the contract has written on it. Usually, they’ll charge you according to the pet’s weight. So, if your pet has grown, it might be a bit more expensive. However, you may find they’ll discount their fee after asking. That’s why it’s always a good idea to see if they’ll budge before giving them any money.

See if They’re Charging Pet Rent

Also, once you’ve paid the deposit, that doesn’t mean it’s over. Some places have put fees into the lease to make you pay for the pets monthly. In effect, they’ve charged your pets rent by including this in the contract. However, it’s legal for them to charge if a pet stays on the property. Just make sure you’re aware of it before you’ve put a name on the lease. Otherwise, the monthly cost may be higher than what’s expected. This is also why it is important to ask such questions because you don’t want to get locked into a lease and then find a bunch of hidden fees when it is too late to back out.

Look Around for Trails and Parks

Assuming the property hasn’t banned pets, you’ll probably have no issues keeping them. But, you still need to check out the surrounding area to see if it would be suitable for them. If there’s nowhere to take your pets on a walk, living with them there might be problematic. Most pets need to go out at least a few times each day. So, it’s incredibly helpful if you can find a place that has somewhere walkable nearby. For example, some apartments like Industry Cincinnati Apartments have pet-friendly amenities such as a washing station. This will save you time and money overall because you won’t have to travel to a business to get the same process done.

Try to Find Somewhere With a Yard

An apartment’s balcony isn’t always enough space to satisfy your pets, especially if it’s a dog. But, you may have luck looking for a place that has a yard. If the pets can go outside, they’re way less likely to be a handful. If you’ve found a home with a yard, see if they’ve built a doggy door. That would make living there way more convenient, since you wouldn’t have to let them out yourself. When a home doesn’t have one, you can always ask if they’ll let you install one.

Cats would probably be fine, even if all you have is an apartment balcony. So, you may not have to worry about them as much. Most cats don’t need a ton of space to keep themselves entertained.

Let Your Landlord Know About the Pet

Before moving in, give the landlord a call and tell them about your pet. They may ask you to pay them ahead of time. But, it’s common courtesy, either way. Once you’ve told them about the pets, you can move ahead as usual.

How to Find an Apartment as a Pet Owner

Finding somewhere to stay is harder if you happen to own pets. But, that hasn’t stopped us from keeping them with us everywhere we go. If you’ve owned them for long enough to form a bond, don’t let them go. There are plenty of spots with lenient pet policies, waiting for you to apply.