No Pets Policy for apartments

[Darth_Kitten]

How strict are they? Do they allow for small pets?

I'm just wondering for the future, if I should happen to move. :(

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. Years ago, I moved into a building that had a no pets policy

One of the other tenants had a dog; so I figured it wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, whenever I left, my dog would bark like crazy and scratch at the door...probably because it was a new place for him, and he'd been abused before we adopted him.

I had to send him back to my parents' house. I did keep a hamster later on, and that was not a problem.

[Darth_Kitten]

3. I'm worried I won't find a place...

My building is being overhauled and at the end of my lease (or maybe sooner? I don't know yet) I may have to move.

New rents are going to be so much more than I can afford, and I want to find a decent place for me and my bird. ;)

[China_cat]

33. Usually 'no pets' refers to cats/dogs

and rodents. Birds, somehow, just don't seem to fit in the 'pet' category. They aren't going to be overly noisy, other tenants aren't likely to step in their droppings outside and they aren't going to claw the walls or pee on everything. Quite frankly, I'd ask.

Unless your bird is a turkey vulture or Andean condor, of course.

[Darth_Kitten]

34. LOL No, she's not a turkey vulture, just eats like one....

:D

Thanks, when the time comes, I will.

[SOteric]

2. No pets is no pets.

Those that allow for small pets usually specify that small pets are okay with a deposit.

And they can forceably evict you, or demand you remove the pet and pay a cleaning and damage deposit, if you sign a no-pets lease and bring a pet in anyway.

At least around here, however, lots of places accept cats and some small dogs.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. even the "no pets" places?

allowing cats and small dogs? :shrug:

I wouldn't ever sneak in a pet, I'm pretty upfront about the fact I have a pet. :)

[SOteric]

6. No, I'm saying most are pretty clear.

No means no.

If an apartment or duplex will allow pets, they'll usually say 'small pets okay' or 'cats okay with deposit' or something of that nature in the add.

[Darth_Kitten]

7. More often than not, it's no pets.

Dang!

[xmas74]

5. No pets is no pets.

I've had a problem w/ finding places because of that.
I've also found three and four bedroom apartments that specified No Children (WTF? Think of how many families need something that size!)

[LanternWaste]

8. Adventures in Apartment hopping...

I've done quite a bit of apartment hopping in my day and found out a few things...

(First, let me say that I'm a guy and not too ugly, so I always made a point to get an appointment w/ a female leasing agent and I'd always go into "charm" mode and talk to her as though we were on a first date. Yeah, I know it's a rat-bastard kind of thing to do...)

Like you, I was always up front about having my cat (Puffnstuff). I'd surreptitiously let the cat's photo show when I was getting my DL & SS out of my wallet (No, I don't carry around a picture of my cat... except when I was apartment hunting). A nice, fuzzy, cute cat picture that drew "ooohhhs" and "aaahhs" from the leasing agents.

Then I'd hit her with my standard line: "I know you guys don't allow pets, but Puffnstuff is my link to the last vestiges of kindness in the world. He's quiet, tame and doesn't want to do anything other than sleep on my lap while I write and sleep on my chest when I'm watching television. I *will* put her to sleep if you think that's best, but... between you and me, no one really has to know about him." Cue my puppy-dog eyes and then ask for a tissue.

Three apartments with No Pet policies... three apartments that let me keep Puffnstuff.

[Darth_Kitten]

9. Puffnstuff...LOL

that's a sweet story. :)

My Murphee is pretty charming herself. ;)

[LanternWaste]

12. Murphee, huh?

Murphee, huh? I kinda like that name. It's got character and it's not generic, yet it doesn't pin him down to a caricature.

(Getting out my wallet & cueing puppy dog eyes) "Hey... would you like to look at a picture of my cat, Puffnstuff?"

Sorry, couldn't resist. :evilgrin:

I'm glad you the anecdote was sweet. I tell it to the women I go out with these days and they look at at me as though I was horrible man for "seducing" the leasing agents into letting me keep my cat (Ohhhh-- Eureka moment! Maybe I should just stop telling the story...)

Good luck in your apt. search. I've had a lot of roommates in the past and none were better than Puffnstuff.

[Darth_Kitten]

35. He's a she, kind of like a Murphy Brown thing. LOL

:)

[Catchawave]

10. Alot of animal welfare groups are trying to change that

because it contributes to the homeless pet population. You see alot more apts advertise "small pets okay" though. Usually you'll have to pay a little more rent or a deposit.

[pitohui]

11. they'll charge you excessively

the new fad is the small pet deposit, it can be a few hundred dollars

if we've learned anything from all this, never own more pets than you can smuggle secretly as needed to get them to shelter

[AtomicKitten]

13. Try Craigs List @ www.craigslist.org

When moving to San Francisco, we simply put pets into the search criteria and only looked at places that allowed our creatures. It's much easier than trying to sneak them in and trying to explain them later. You'll end up paying an extra pet deposit. Also make sure your pet or pets are listed in the lease. It's important to get it in writing.

We adopted our part pit dog, Seven, from the SPCA at age four months and we were her third family. The two prior adoptive people weren't allowed pets but took her anyway, both ending up bring her back. She was really nervous for the first couple years, but now seems very well adjusted now.

[Dastard Stepchild]

14. I second this recommendation...

We found all of our apartments this way. And if your city has a service that helps renters find apartments, they can be very helpful as well.

[meow2u3]

15. One of the last legal forms of discrimination

And AFAIC, it should be outlawed. Regulating the number of pets is one thing; banning pets from apartments and other rental housing, or worse, charging tenants extra rent, is discriminatory. In Pennsylvania, the latter practice is illegal but common, and if you ever run into such a policy, notify your local tenants' association.

To make matters worse, some condos don't allow pets--even if the person owns the damn unit! :grr:

I think the right for common household pets to live with their humans whether they rent or own their home ought to be put on the Democratic platform!

[LisaL]

19. I agree. Those stupid condo rules would drive anyone insane.

I figure if I am paying for the condo, then at least I should be able to have a few pets in there.

[u4ic]

16. I always talked to the building manager/landlord

as I had birds...NO pets usually meant no cats and dogs - in my city, anyway.

[LisaL]

17. It depends. I used to rent from one of those no pets places.

Neighbors had a dog who they would take out in the middle of the night, and the darn thing would bark none stop. One girl in the corner apartment had cats and it stunk to hight heaven with cat urine. Obviously, a lot of people don't care for the rules, but it was a nasty place so I figure landlords didn't care much if the apartments would get destroyed.
Also, I always had birds in no pet places without any problems. No pets usually mean no cats or dogs.

[LynneSin]

18. I've seen complexes that require your cats to be declawed

It's their carpeting and if you're not taking care of your pets they can destroy it.

It's sad

[LisaL]

20. Are they actually coming in and checking?

If the cat has claws, that is?

[friesianrider]

23. Wow...that's very unfortunate...

Considering how barbaric and cruel it is to declaw a cat...I've never seen that but don't doubt it unfortunately.

[huskerlaw]

26. Mine supposedly requires them to be declawed

My furbaby is NOT declawed...they've never mentioned it. I just make very sure that he doesn't claw the carpet (2 scratching posts in the living room seems to do the trick).

As far as the ability to find a "pet-friendly" apartment is concerned, it seems to really depend on the area. I'm in the process of moving to LA and I had absolutely no problem finding a place that allowed cats. Even quite a few that allowed dogs. Meanwhile, here in Nebraska, only about 50% allow cats and I've never heard of a place that allowed dogs.

[friesianrider]

21. Many places do now..

And kudos to you for actually taking some time to consider trying to find a place that accepts your furbabes (as opposed to some who just say shucks and toss them in a shelter).

I've found many places are relaxing the "no pets" thing since more people have them now and will not move to a place that doesn't accept them. They'll get a lot more business if they accept pets and they know it (at least thats the way it is here).

[yvr girl]

22. Sometimes you can negotiate a pet

Don't try and sneak one in though.

[allalone]

24. check out homewithpets.com

they have listings for the whole country.

[DS1]

25. Often a place will say no pets, but offer an extra deposit fee

for something like a single cat - no dogs. That's been my experience anyway.

[Kat45]

27. I once looked at an apt that said 'no pets' in the ad, then

when I asked the landlord about the 'no pets' I told her I had birds, and she said birds were ok. Since a lot of people don't know anything about birds (and don't know that they can do damage or make a lot of noise), sometimes they don't even count birds as pets. But of course, it varies.

[pitohui]

37. same here, the birds were OK

& i had many

[madinmaryland]

28. Connecticut was horrible about allowing

pets. Maryland is much more lenient. Private owners of apartments are much more stiff about letting pets in.

[Ladyhawk]

29. In California, if you can get a doctor to say you need your pet for

mental health reasons, the apartment complex has to relent. :) I LOVE that law. It gives me peace of mind. I know that if I move, my parrot can come with me no matter where I go.

The story on Oprah about the young man and his dog, Rafiki, really touched my heart. That young man and his dog had been together for fourteen years. They were family. My bird and I have been family for eighteen years. I can't imagine giving him up for anything.

[Withywindle]

30. Wow, is that common where you live?

Chicago rental market is pretty pet friendly, at least for cats...I did a LOT of apartment-hopping in my youth and have never had a problem finding a place that allowed them.

*knock wood*

[ariesgem]

31. as a pet-friendly apartment manager with 2 buildings to handle,

I've found that some of my best tenants are the ones with pets. They don't move often because it's hard for them to find a place for their "babies". I have 3 cats myself so I know what applicants go through trying to find a place. I've also found that pets in some cases cause less damage to an apartment than children.

I advertise in Craig's List to where you can list/find apartments that are pet-friendly. You should have some luck there. Good luck!

[renter]

32. It's not the pet, it's the person...

who does not look after their pet. Would you allow your pet to preform bodily functions all over your floor, carpet, lower walls? The person who does not clean up their dog waste when walking their dog can be rather irritating. In an earlier post I told how I went from renter to landlord. I do allow pets, but the owner is responsible for their pet.

[miss_kitty]

36. my building has a strict 'No Pets' policy

And I got this:

but I HAVE been here close to 21 years. I'm thinking I could smoke crack on the stoop and get away with it.

OK. Not really about the crack thing