Most owners who tell me they do not want pets in their property are not being unreasonable. They are being cautious. They picture soiled or torn carpets and chewed baseboards. But when you zoom out and look at the rental market as a whole, a no-pet policy quietly limits an owner’s opportunities and makes it harder to place the right resident.
The truth is simple and supported by data. Seventy-two percent of renters in the United States have a pet, according to the Humane Society. That means that by choosing not to accept pets immediately removes most of your potential renter pool. You are left with about twenty-eight percent of the market, and only a portion of those renters are the kind of reliable, responsible, financially stable residents you want in your home. By saying “no pets,” many owners unintentionally say “no” to some of the best applicants they could ever hope to attract. These are people with steady jobs, predictable routines, and a strong sense of responsibility.
What We Learned When We Looked Honestly at Pet Owners
My job is to be a strategic partner for our clients, to help them anticipate shifts, protect their investment, and stay ahead of the curve. In all situations, having the most possible applicants is best for the owner. When we looked closely at our process and our outcomes, one thing became clear quickly. If we wanted to widen our applicant pool without lowering our standards, we had to rethink pets.
So we looked closely at the people in our own lives. Friends, family, coworkers. Almost all of them had pets. More importantly, they were exactly the kind of residents every owner wants. They had stable income, maintained their homes, stayed long-term, and showed respect and responsibility. Yet under a no-pet policy, we would have been forced to deny every one of them.
That is when we realized the problem was not pets. The problem was the policy.
Opening the Door to Qualified Pets Changed Everything
When we began accepting qualified pets through a structured, responsible system, the results were immediate.
We reduced our average days on market and saw rent growth that outperformed similar properties in the same neighborhoods. Even in a hot market where rents were rising everywhere, some of our homes leased for more than nearby properties that did not allow pets. Allowing qualified pets gave our owners a clear competitive edge.
Why a No-Pet Policy Actually Increases Risk
Something many owners do not realize is that a no-pet policy does not keep pets out. It often encourages the opposite. When a home will not accept pets, some pet owners turn to claiming their animal is an Emotional Support Animal. The ESA space has almost no regulation, and there are no real penalties for residents who misrepresent their animal. Anyone can buy paperwork online, and the industry has very little ability to stop fraudulent claims. Since assistance animals cannot be denied, the pet often ends up in the property anyway, and the owner now has an animal in the home without the benefit of screening, documentation, or control.
At the same time, the laws for housing providers are strict and heavily enforced. There are serious penalties for mishandling an assistance animal request. This creates a situation where honest renters who refuse to lie will simply go elsewhere, and the renters who are willing to bend the truth become the ones most likely to apply.
How We Protect Owners: Screening Both Pets and Assistance Animals
This is one of the biggest reasons we built a structured pet program. By accepting pets transparently, we attract responsible residents who are upfront about their animals. We also protect owners by screening assistance animal requests to confirm whether they are legitimate instead of simply purchased online.
Our third-party verification process reviews documentation, confirms credentials, and checks for red flags that indicate a fraudulent ESA claim. True assistance animals are accommodated the right way, and questionable claims are identified.
Structure Reduces Risk
Owners are not afraid of animals. They are afraid of liability, damage, and unpredictable behavior. That is why we built a pet program that mirrors our resident application process, using objective criteria, verifiable information, and clear standards.
Our system includes:
- A pet grading tool based on vaccinations, training, breed risk, age, and behavior
- Damage guarantees above the security deposit
- Dog-bite protection
- Screening designed to identify responsible pet owners who are often the very best residents
Most responsible pet owners already have the materials we require. They are organized, prepared, and proactive. Those qualities usually show up in how they care for a home as well.
The Bottom Line
A no-pet policy used to be common in property management. Today, it is outdated, costly, and completely out of alignment with how most people live. Pet owners are not the exception. They are the majority. And with the right systems in place, accepting pets is not a risk. It is a strategic advantage.
