The below topics are discussed in much more depth
  on our members' Pets In Rental Housing page.

NO PETS ALLOWED?

"Dogs are welcome in this apartment. I never had a dog that smoked in bed and set fire to the building. I never had a dog who played music or the TV too loudly. I never had a dog get drunk and knock holes in the walls. So if your dog can vouch for you, you're welcome too."

Update: Pet fees at a partments now range from flat fees of $20 to $700, and monthly surcharges from $6 to $25. The most often quoted monthly charge for a pet is $15. The average up-front fee is about $225, but the most often quoted fee is $100. High fees are usually for large dogs.

There were 102 million occupied households in the U.S. in 1998 and 80% of them house pets. The government reports that there were 212 million pets; 59 million domestic cats, 53 million dogs, 80 million reptiles, plus birds and assorted small mammals. That means there were at least 2 pets per household and the occasional mouse or rat.  Landlords only think they do not allow pets.
     More than half of all homeowners have pets , the Humane Society of the United States, reports that some 49.4 percent of U.S. renters have pets. Yet only five per cent of rental housing anywhere allows animals.
      Either way, landlords and tenants inevitably get into hassles that poison their relationship and force the tenant to get rid of the pet. The results eventually show up in animal shelters all over the world, where an estimated 25% of surrendered animals are reluctantly taken when their owners cannot find affordable rental housing that will allow tenants to keep their pets. That's millions of animals a year, and only a small percentage of the pets ever get selected for a new home in time to save their lives.

Every pet owner tenant faces an almost impossible task in finding rental accommodations that will accept their beloved pet, but seniors are especially vulnerable.
      The benefits of pet ownership to physical and emotional health in people has been well researched and documented.
      As a result, legislation is in place in the U.S. that allows seniors in federally funded housing to have pets.

   But property owners and managers have legitimate concerns about pets , which have caused their seemingly blanket policy. Almost every landlord has a horror story about pet odor and damage, or the terrorizing of other tenants.
      A variety of approaches have been taken to address pet issues in rental housing.
      Basically, it comes down to how badly all the parties want solutions. There are several very good reasons for landlords to come up with answers. For one, it may be just a question of time before some government do-gooders learn how many votes might be bought by legislation that forces pets on rental housing, particularly from likely voters among seniors.
      We believe there are much better solutions. For example: written Pet Agreements.  You should also use a Pet Screening Checklist.

      RHOL has numerous pages about pets, written from both perspectives - landlord and tenant.

The above topics are discussed in much more depth
  on our members' Pets In Rental Housing page.