According to the most recent National Pet Owners Survey, about 70% of American households have at least one pet. That’s up about 14% from back in 1988, when this survey was held for the first time.
If you have a pet, you might not be able to imagine your life without them. But owning a pet could cause some complications if you ever need to rent an apartment.
It’ll be important for you to take the time to learn more about apartment living with pets prior to trying to find an apartment for you and your pet. Otherwise, you might run into roadblocks when you’re trying to navigate your way through the rental market and look for the best apartments.
Here is just about everything you’ll need to know about apartment living as it pertains to pets.
Do Apartments Allow Pets?
There are more than 21 million apartment units in the U.S. at this time. There are also another 4 million apartment units that are likely going to be built within the next decade.
Some of the existing apartment units will enable you to embrace apartment living with pets. But there are also some that have outlawed pets from their premises.
In certain instances, apartment companies will refuse to allow pets because of insurance issues that have come up in the past. In others, they simply don’t want to have to worry about cleaning up after pets when they move out one day.
Either way, there are going to be some apartments that aren’t going to let you move in if you already have a pet. So when you’re trying to track down an apartment to live in, you should be mindful of this and conduct your search accordingly.
The last thing you want to do is fall in love with an apartment only to discover that it doesn’t allow pets. You should instead set your sights on only searching for pet-friendly apartments.
Which Types of Pets Do Apartments Permit?
Dogs are easily the most popular pets in the country right now. Nearly 50 million U.S. households have at least one dog living in them.
Cats are also very popular pets in this country. Almost 32 million U.S. households have at least one cat living in them.
If apartments allow pets in the first place, that’s typically an indication that they’ll let you bring a dog or cat with you. But it’s worth pointing out that these aren’t necessarily the only types of pets that apartments will permit.
Apartments might also allow you to live with pets like:
- Fish
- Birds
- Rabbits
- Lizards
- Guinea pigs
Every apartment complex has a different pet policy in place, though, so you shouldn’t just assume that you’ll be able to bring a particular type of pet into an apartment because they say pets are allowed. You should always check to see that the specific kind of pet you wish to bring is permitted in an apartment.
Are There Any Restrictions Placed on Pets by Apartments?
Apartment complexes will often regulate more than just which types of pets they’ll allow. They also tend to put certain restrictions on the pets that are permitted to live in their apartments.
For instance, most apartment complexes will have weight limits on the dogs that are allowed to live in their communities. They won’t let very large dogs live in their apartments in many cases.
Apartment complexes will also sometimes prevent certain dog breeds from living in their apartments. Pit bulls often land at the top of the list of dog breeds banned from apartments, but many other breeds, like rottweilers, have also been banned from some complexes.
With this in mind, you shouldn’t just assume that you’ll be able to bring a dog along with you to an apartment, even if it’s a pet-friendly apartment. The weight of your dog or its breed could prevent you from being able to find an apartment that will work for them.
Does It Cost Extra to Live in an Apartment With a Pet?
Another thing worth considering if you’re going to try to find an apartment that accepts pets is that it could come at a cost to you. Many apartment complexes will enable you to embrace apartment living with pets, but they’ll also charge you a slightly higher fee than you would have to pay otherwise.
Every apartment complex is going to approach this extra cost a little differently. Some will charge you an upfront fee at the start of your lease, while others will tack on an additional fee to your monthly rent. Certain places might even do some combination of both.
Apartment complexes often assume that you’re going to put more wear and tear on a rental property when you have a pet, even if you have a small dog or cat. They’re also going to assume that they’ll have to work a little harder, later on, to clean an apartment when you move out.
This helps explain why they have extra fees in place for pet owners. You might need to adjust both your budget and your apartment expectations when you’re planning to go through apartment living with a pet.
What Happens If You Lie About Living in an Apartment With a Pet?
In order to try and get around having to pay extra to live in an apartment with a pet, some people will consider lying about having a pet in the first place. They’ll move into an apartment without revealing that they have a pet and hope no one finds out.
You might be able to get away with this in some instances. But you might also come to regret your decision to lie about living in an apartment with a pet without notifying an apartment complex.
There is probably going to be a pet policy in the lease that you sign. If you break this pet policy, you could potentially be evicted from an apartment and even lose your security deposit for it.
This is why you shouldn’t ever lie to an apartment complex about not having a pet living with you when you do. You could get yourself into big trouble and possibly lose your fair share of money for telling this type of lie.
How Can You Make an Apartment Work for a Pet?
If you’re lucky enough to find an apartment that allows pets and they accept the pet that you have, you’ll officially be in the clear. You and your pet will be able to move right in so that you can start to soak up everything apartment living has to offer.
But you should try to do whatever it takes to keep your pet comfortable in an apartment. It might not end up being an ideal situation for your pet otherwise.
First and foremost, you should be sure that you’ll be able to get your pet exercise, especially if you have a dog. You don’t want to let a dog feel like they’re all cooped up in your apartment all the time.
You should also think about trying to get an apartment that has either a patio or a balcony so that your pet can go outside to use the bathroom on a regular basis. It’ll help you avoid having to clean up after them in your apartment all the time.
Additionally, you’ll want to find different ways to pet-proof an apartment so that your pet isn’t ever in any danger in your new living quarters. From putting bars over the windows on a second floor to limiting the access a pet has to a utility room, there are simple steps you can take to ensure your pet stays safe.
What Should You Avoid When Living in an Apartment With a Pet?
Outside of working to make your pet feel comfortable in an apartment, there are also some things you should avoid doing when living in an apartment with them. If you do any of these things, it could spell trouble for you and your pet.
For example, you should try not to leave your pet in an apartment by themselves for too long. It could result in a dog barking all day and disturbing your neighbors. You won’t be very popular among them if you have a noisy dog that refuses to quiet down.
You’ll also want to steer clear of allowing your pet to escape your apartment with ease. Even if your apartment has both a main exterior door and a screen door, it’s very easy for dogs and cats to slip right out and wander around an apartment complex.
You’ll want to make sure your pet plays nicely with other pets in your apartment complex. If you have a dog, in particular, that gets aggressive around other dogs, an apartment complex might refuse to renew your lease when it’s up.
And maybe most importantly of all, you’ll need to make it your mission to pick up your pet’s poop in the outdoor area surrounding your apartment. You will be breaking the law if you don’t pick up after your pet, and you may be subjected to fines and other penalties if you get caught doing it.
What If a Pet Doesn’t Adjust Well to Apartment Living?
If you get a pet when you’re already living in an apartment, it should make it fairly easy for them to adjust to apartment living. They won’t know any other way of living, so they’ll get used to it pretty quickly.
But if you move from a house or even a condo to an apartment, you might find that a pet won’t adjust like you want them to. You might even notice that your dog or cat will make more noise than they usually do as soon as you start living in an apartment.
In this case, you’re going to need to figure out a way to help them adjust to their new surroundings. You might be able to do this by setting up a special area for them or even by spending the first week or two living in your apartment with them 24/7 so that they have time to adjust.
But if these things don’t work, you’ll need to take more drastic measures. You might need to send your pet to daycare during the day when you’re not around. You might even need to reconsider living in an apartment or send your pet to live with a family member or friend until you can find better living arrangements.
Where Can You Find the Best Memphis Apartments for Pets?
Any time you’re going to rent an apartment, there will be a long list of amenities that you’ll want to look for in it. The best apartments will have properties that are well-maintained and have top-notch security.
In your case, they’ll also be pet-friendly and will make it a point to allow you to live with a dog, a cat, or another pet without a problem. There are plenty of Memphis apartments out there that’ll give you the chance to do this.
You just need to look hard enough for them and be willing to get creative throughout the apartment-hunting process. You should be able to uncover at least a few options that’ll allow you and your pet to enjoy apartment living together.
Contact Us to Find a Rental for You and Your Pet
Are you having a hard time finding rental properties that will work for you and your pet? This is sometimes a problem for pet owners interested in apartment living.
Reedy & Company is the property management company that you can rely on to help you locate the best apartments and homes for rent in the Memphis area. We can show you options that will both work for you and your pet while also fitting into your predetermined budget.
Get in touch with us today to hear more about how we can help you with your rental property search.
