Pet-Friendly Tips for Landlords- follow up to previous article Pets in Rental Housing

According to the 2009/2010 American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, 62 percent of American households have at least one pet. That means pet-friendly property owners have more than doubled the pool of potential tenants than landlords who do not accept pets.Promoting your property as “pet friendly” can be a powerful marketing tool that will allow you to fill vacancies more quickly. According to the 2007 American Veterinary Medical Association pet ownership survey, 52 percent of Americans consider their pets to be members of the family. Despite this statistic, hundreds of thousands of people relinquish their pets to animal shelters every year simply because they cannot easily find pet-friendly housing.  A 2009 American Humane Association survey of more than 90 animal shelters across the country found that the number one reason given for owner relinquishment of pets was “moving.”

Tips for landlords:

  • Consider each potential tenant and his or her pet(s) on a case-by-case basis. Rather than setting predetermined rules limiting the number, size or breed of pets allowed, assessing each renter and each pet as an individual will ensure a much better outcome for both you and your property. For example, a Great Dane is a very large dog, but this breed only needs a moderate amount of exercise and can live quite comfortably in an apartment.
  • Request references from prior landlords, if applicable. A reference check will allow you to quickly find out if the tenant has a good rental history and maintained their previous residence in good condition.
  • Require that pets be spayed and neutered. Spaying and neutering not only prevents unplanned litters, but also eliminates many undesirable behaviors that can cause potential property damage or liability. Neutered animals are much less likely to urine mark, display aggression or escape by digging under fences.
  • Require that pets be vaccinated for distemper and rabies. Rabies vaccinations are required by law in most states, and up-to-date vaccinations are generally a good indication of a responsible pet owner.
  • Request a reasonable and fully refundable pet deposit. There is no reason to automatically assume that a pet is going to cause property damage that will warrant additional rent or a nonrefundable deposit. Both pets and people have the potential to cause damage! The cost of any damages, regardless of the cause, should be assessed and subtracted from the deposit when the tenant vacates the property.
  • Arrange to meet the pet(s) yourself. Seeing firsthand that a pet is friendly and well-behaved will help to allay fears of damage or liability.
  • Incorporate specific pet care and property maintenance requirements into the lease, such as:
    • Require cats to be kept strictly indoors
    • Restrict the amount of time and/or hours that dogs can be left unattended in a fenced yard
    • Prohibit tethering of dogs on the property
    • Require that dog feces be removed and properly disposed of on a daily basis. If the property has common ground rather than a private yard, require that owners always clean up after their dogs immediately

Featured Dog- Buddy

Buddy came to the shelter when family could  no longer care for him. He is a big 7 month old pit bull terrier blend. Buddy is very friendly and easily handled. He knows sit and does well on a leash. He has lived in a home. He is a quiet boy, loves attention and being with people.

Other available dogs

Bruno- gray pit bull terrier. He is a gentle boy a little shy  but loves playing with toys and being with people

Monty- pit bull terrier  blend. Super friendly. Likes everyone he meets . Learning his basic commands

Sage-Labrador/hound blend Super friendly but very high energy. She is still a puppy. Will need lots of exercise.

Featured cat- Millie

Millie was found in a hotel room. We don’t know if she was abandoned or wandered in from outside. She craves attention and wants to be with people all the time. She never stops purring. She will get between your legs trying to get you to pick her up and cuddle. She is one of the sweetest kitties. She is under a year old. She is a “BOBTAIL” with only part of her tail.

Other available cats-

Katy- super sweet, gentle and loving 2 years old. She loves being petted and brushed

Sissy- beautiful colors. Nice friendly girl about 1 year old. Loves playing with toys and being petted.

Mr. Whiskers- wonderful gentleman. Came from a very quiet home. Loves people and watching the world go by.

Paris- quiet lady. Wants nothing better than to have a nice comfortable place to watch everyone and everything going on around her.

All animals will be spayed or neutered prior to leaving shelter and receive 1 year rabies vaccination and city license. Ages are approximate.

The City of Mesquite Animal Shelter located at 795 Hardy Way is open for adoptions from 11am until 1 pm, Monday through Saturday, Sunday 1pm -3pm. Please call 702-346-7415 during these hours to speak to the front desk. Animal Control may be reached by phone or voicemail at 702-346-5268 

The animals submitted to the media may have changed so please visit our Petfinder website for a current listing and more detailed information on the animals. www.mesquiteanimalshelter.petfinder.com

Please also check our Facebook pages for lost and found animals along with pet information. https://www.facebook.com/MesquiteNVAnimalControl  and https://www.facebook.com/FRIENDSOFMESQUITENVANIMALSHELTER