Expanding Access to

Pets in Rental Housing

• About two-thirds of U.S. households have a pet, equating to more than 95 million households
• U.S. pet industry expenditures reached $152 billion in 2024
• Gen Z/Millennials comprise almost half of pet owners - a key target market segment for rental housing

2 in 3

U.S. Households Have Pets

• 76% of rental housing providers say they are pet friendly

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• And yet, 72% of renters say pet-friendly housing is hard to find

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• And only 8% of rental properties are free of all restrictions

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There’s clearly a significant disconnect on the meaning of ‘pet friendly’

What does pet-inclusive look like?

When housing units are pet-inclusive, they offer some flexibility on the number of pets and do not have breed or weight/size restrictions. Being pet-inclusive also means being free of non-benefit fees, fees from which pets and renters do not directly benefit.

What are the barriers?

• Average weight limit is 40 -50 lbs, ruling out a large percentage of dogs
• Most communities allow only 1-2 pets per unit
• Breed restrictions typically rule out more than 10 different dog breeds, holding on to generalized misconceptions about behavior

Legacy pet restrictions are based on lingering misconceptions about breed size and behavior, dispelled by the science and lack of supporting data.

What are the possible impacts?

• Large dogs are staying in shelters the longest, with an average length of stay until outcome of 17 days, compared to 10 days for small dogs and 14 days for medium dogs.
• 30% of dog intakes and 30% of cats intakes were due to relinquishment.
• Large dogs have the highest non‑live outcome rate of all sizes at 12%.

83%

of rental housing operators say pet-friendly vacancies can be filled faster.

24%

of pet owners say their pet has been a reason for needing to move.

Boost the Bottom Line

• On average, pet-owning residents stay 21% longer than non-pet-owning residents.
• Multifamily renters stay an average of 30 months, so that’s an additional 6 months.
• Fewer turn costs and less vacancy loss = significant NOI lift.

Case Study:

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The Management Group (Atlanta) has seen renewal rates among pet-owning renters increase from 50% to 80% since lifting restrictions; the following representative result is an example for one property and based solely on fewer turn costs and lower vacancy loss.

A sense of belonging = resident retention

Pet owners help create this!

Addressing common concerns

• Insurance Restrictions
• Many carriers no longer have breed restrictions.
• Also, under renters policies, residents are generally responsible for animal-related liability.

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• Damages Caused by Pets
• Around 70% of pet-occupied units experience no pet-related damage at all.
• The average dollar amount for repair of damages caused by pets ranges from $210-$567 - an amount more than covered by the typical security deposit.
• Unattended Dog Waste
• Pet policies and DNA screening services successfully deal with this issue.

Helping shelters and rescues

• Decrease owner surrenders
• 14% of renters have surrendered their pet as a result of their housing situation.

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• Increase adoptions
• 33% of pet owners with housing restrictions would get another pet if restrictions were lifted.
• 35% of non-pet owners with housing restrictions would get a pet if restrictions were lifted.

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• Increase fosters
• Millions of kittens and puppies enter shelters each year and are at risk of euthanaisa without fosters.

Next Steps? The Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative can help!

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Visit our website for the full PIHI report, case studies, informative articles and other resources: petsandhousing.org

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We’d love to collaborate! Whether you’d like to talk with other providers who’ve eased restrictions or need ideas for next steps, please reach out:

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Ross Barker, Program Director

Sara Muriello, Sr. Program Manager

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SAVING PETS. ENRICHING LIVES.

About us

A 501(c)(3)�private operating foundation

Bring a spirit of innovation:�use science, technology & social entrepreneurship�to benefit pets

Founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and inspired by the plight of lost pets

THE ONLY NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE NON-PROFIT DEDICATED TO ENDING PET HOMELESSNESS,�WITH A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MODEL

Sources

Slide 2: American Pet Products Association; 2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report; Bureau of Economic Analysis; Morgan Stanley

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Slides 3, 9-11, 13-15: 2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report; The 2026 State of Pets in Rental Housing Report

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Slide 5: Apartment List; SmartApartmentData; 2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report

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Slide 6: Science

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Slide 7: Shelter Animals Count 2025 Data Report

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Slide 12: Case Study #1: The Management Group, Presented by The Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative