Please, if you cannot immediately find housing that accepts pets, do NOT abandon your pet in the hope that someone else will find and care for him, or in the hope that you’ll be able to come back later and get him. Pets depend on us for their care. If you absolutely cannot find a pet-friendly rental, bring your pet to the Dumb Friends League or another reputable shelter or rescue group.
Finding a pet-friendly rental
Finding a pet-friendly rental has never been easier due to resources now available through the internet. Simply type “pet friendly apartments” into your search engine. The following common apartment-finding websites include filters for housing that accepts pets:
http://www.apartments.com/pet-friendly-apartments
http://www.rent.com/pet-friendly-apartments
http://www.apartmentfinder.com/ – use the “Pets allowed” filter at the top of the home page
http://www.peoplewithpets.com/
http://www.apartmentguide.com/ – use the “Pet friendly” checkbox under Community
http://www.trulia.com/for_rent/Savannah,GA/ Trulia Savannah home rental page with pet-friendly filters
http://www.trulia.com/rent/ Trulia rent nationwide real estate and rentals with pet-friendly filters
http://www.zillow.com/savannah-ga/apartments/ Zillow Savannah apartment rental page with pet-friendly filter
http://www.zillow.com/rent/ Zillow rental page for nationwide real estate and rentals with pet-friendly filters
Features
After you find a potential rental
Show an interest in cleanliness. Let the landlord, manager or condominium board know that you share any concerns about cleanliness.
Point out that your pet is housetrained or litter-box trained. Emphasize that you always clean up after your dog outdoors and that you always properly dispose of your pet’s waste.
After you move in
Offer your new landlord the opportunity to visit you after you’ve moved in so they can meet your pet and see how well you care for your rental unit.
Try to take a few days off when you move into a new place to help your pet adjust. It’s new for your pet too, and sometimes even the most quiet and calm pets will get anxious in new surroundings and make excessive noise, disturbing the neighbors. It often helps if you can be there to help your pet adjust to the new home.
Be a good neighbor. Make sure your pets don’t disturb your neighbors, whether it’s with noise, wandering loose or unsightly messes. Remember that your landlord has to deal with complaints and won’t be happy if it keeps happening.
Be diligent about addressing any concerns your landlord may have. If an issue arises about your pet, make sure you understand what the problem is and take immediate steps to address it.
