Finding a Rental that Accepts Pets

Finding an apartment or rental space (whether it's for long term or short term) can be extremely difficult to begin with. But for those who own either a cat or dog --and other animals, as well-- the process becomes doubly more challenging. That's because most landlords or rental owners are resistant to allowing pets on their property. After all, pets can be seen as destructive creatures with the potential to ruin floors, walls, carpet and more.

Most pet owners know that this can, at times, be true. However, in most situations, cats and dogs are well taken care of and raised to be considerate of their abode (after all, they live there, too!).

My husband and I have two precious cats that we can't imagine leaving behind. In addition to providing us with some genuine love and affection, our two felines also serve as an excellent source of entertainment. However, when it came time to find an apartment about six months ago, we had a little trouble.

The problem was that most of the apartment rentals we fell in love with were non pet-friendly (likely because we prefer hardwood floors that tend to get scratched up by claws). Shortly into our search, we found a place that can only be described as perfect. But, yet again, no pets were allowed.

Our strong desire to move in prompted us to negotiate a little bit. After discussing the situation with our potential landlord, she agreed to let us move in, both cats in tow. This was permitted so long as we trimmed our kitties' nails regularly or had them wear Soft Paws in addition to using rugs in the apartment to protect the floor.

In the end, we learned that there are some rental owners out there who won't budge on the issue of pets. However, there's a good bunch who are willing to negotiate if you just explain your situation. The key is to be friendly, agreeable and willing to make the situation work for both involved parties. If any pet-owner does this, chances are, he or she will find someone with a soft spot for animals or someone who is happy to meet half way.