A large chunk of the data surrounding rental housing trends is readily available and regularly refreshed. The same can't be said for pet trends in the industry, as most of the research available took place during or shortly after the pandemic, when things were in a bit of a whirlwind.

Operators now can take a fresh look.

The State of Pets in Rental Housing, a recently released report from PetScreening, offers a snapshot of pet-related trends and challenges in rental housing, along with a gauge of the overall pulse of pet-friendliness in the industry.

The top challenge cited by study respondents, which included 1,715 property managers and leasing professionals within multifamily and single-family rental industries, was unauthorized pets brought into a home. Meanwhile, 60.7% of single-family respondents and 46.5% of multifamily respondents indicated that having a pet-friendly property has increased resident satisfaction.

A Measured Impact

Rental housing operators are fully aware that increasing pet-friendliness levels widens the pool of potential residents. The effort, however, can be a significant undertaking, and operators often want to know just how robust the impact is in actual practice.

Pet friendliness is one of the most crucial deterministic factors when renters decide whether to lease or remain at a property. Resort-style pools and EV charging stations might sway certain renters to lease or remain at the property, but few offerings will positively influence approximately half of residents. 

In addition to attracting residents, pet-friendliness has helped retain them. According to the study, 28% of single-family respondents and 17% of multifamily respondents said having a pet-friendly property has helped boost renewals.

When operated effectively, pet-friendly properties can increase resident satisfaction and offer a wider pool of prospects. But operators should be aware that the process requires diligence and is not without a few hurdles to overcome.

Conquering Challenges

The primary challenge of unauthorized pets was followed by property damage, pet waste and navigating assistance animal requests.

Thankfully, a large share of these challenges—or at least the results of them—can be addressed up front when pet-owning residents move in. The issue of unauthorized pets might seem difficult to overcome, particularly when residents acquire pets during their stay and fail to report them. But properties can efficiently track the onsite pet population by including an addendum to the application/lease agreement that requires residents to formally acknowledge they will notify the community if they acquire, sit or host a visiting pet during their stay.

The challenges of pet damage and pet waste are part of the territory at pet-friendly communities, with respondents indicating that 28% of their pet-occupied homes receive damage. Property teams can also address pet damage procedures in the leasing agreement, so residents formally acknowledge and are aware of any fines they might incur. Properly stocking pet waste stations at the property can help to reduce pet waste, as can the adoption of a pet DNA service if problems become severe.

While the challenge of navigating assistance animal requests can seem a bit esoteric, following the most recent HUD guidelines can help properties remain compliant. They can also partner with a third-party that specializes in assistance animal accommodation requests and the various statutes surrounding them.

Most Effective Amenities

When it comes to pet amenities, simple is often best. Secure spaces for pets to expend energy along with resources to help pet-owning residents keep the community clean have a significant impact.

Respondents cited pet waste stations (59%), outdoor amenities (41%) and an onsite dog park (35%) as the most common offerings. They were followed by nearby vet care (28%) and pet social events (24%).

Properties that provide these functional resources are helping to ensure non-pet-owning residents—which remain a significant pool of the onsite population—remain comfortable. These offerings also help to reduce wear and tear within homes and community spaces. While more elaborate pet amenities are always welcome, the initial focus on taking care of the basics is most important.

Additional findings of the report included that pit bulls and their various subtypes are the most-banned breed (94%), followed by several additional large breeds, including Rottweilers and German Shepherds. While the common perception is that large breeds have a larger propensity to cause damage or take part in an onsite incident, no data supports that notion. Forward-thinking properties are beginning to evaluate pets on an individual basis rather than institute blanket breed bans.

Ultimately, the survey data reveals that pet-friendly properties carry the benefits of increased resident satisfaction and robust renewal rates among other results. Respondents acknowledge the accompanying challenges as well. Fortunately, the industry is more primed than ever to address any potential issues related to pet-friendliness, making the option more appealing to a wider range of rental housing operators.

David Stunja is the Chief Operating Officer of PetScreening.