Here’s what to look for

More than 80% of Equity Residential’s apartment communities accept pets. But knowing what to expect, and employing a few sage bits of advice can go a long way towards making both you and your pets happy renters.

Little Packages, Big Hearts

While many pet owners are looking for a place that will accept the pet(s) they already have, plenty of others are considering making the plunge for the first time. While the choice of a cat or dog as well as the breed is more often a personal choice, smaller pets tend to cause fewer problems than larger pets in an apartment setting. Many communities that accept pets have a variety of weight and breed restrictions biased towards smaller pets. Space can also be a concern in an apartment, both for your personal belongings and for the pet just getting around.

Healthy means Happy

Pets provide companionship and activity for their owners, helping keep the owner happier and healthier. It’s only fair to consider the happiness and health of your pet as well.

Check to be sure your pet is up to date on all vaccinations, and that you have the correct city and county animal permits.

Both the Humane Society (hsus.org) and the Anti-Cruelty Society (aspca.org) are great resources on many aspects of caring for your pet.

Finding the Right Place

Start your search using sites that let you choose to search for apartments that specifically allow pets. EquityApartments.com has checkboxes for dogs and cats that only return apartments that allow them.

Once you’ve narrowed down the search to the areas and apartments you’re interested in, start considering the finer details on each apartment’s pet policies:

• Pet, Breed, weight and number restrictions

  Some apartments only permit cats, and for those that do allow dogs, many have breed and weight restrictions on dogs. Most breed restrictions are focused on more aggressive breeds. Some apartment communities have restrictions on the actual number of pets that can live in one apartment.

• Rents and deposits

  These can vary greatly, but don’t be surprised to find an additional deposit requirement for a pet, as well as an additional monthly rent amount for apartments with pets.

• Local rules and public spaces

  Many apartment communities have some restrictions about where pets can (or more often, can’t) go. It’s not just something you’ll want to know – it can often inform where you might want your apartment to be. If you know one apartment opens to an off-limit or high-traffic area, and you always walk your dog right at the evening rush when everyone’s returning, you can ask to look at other apartments in the building. It’s also nice to know ahead of time that the only place your pet can “do its business” is two football fields away on a cold winter night.

Getting Settled

Play dates work for more than kids. Find other pet owners in your community and set up some time for the pets to enjoy themselves. You’ll meet some neighbors and enjoy a greater sense of community when you do. You can find people who would pet-sit for you in exchange for the same service when they have to go out of town, and find out about the great places to take your pet in the area.

With a better idea of what to expect when living in an apartments with pets, you’ll be that much more likely to relax and enjoy everything a pet has to offer.