It’s hard enough to find accommodation on your own, let alone with your beloved pet. Landlords must consider how pet-friendly rooms for rent may affect the property's cleanliness, safety, and overall noise levels.
Millions of people worldwide, especially in the US, live with their pets. Apartments.com surveyed 1,000 people across the States and found that 90% said they had a pet and 80% noted that a pet-friendly policy in their chosen accommodation was necessary. On a broader scale, 66% of American households report caring for at least one pet.
Pet owners who live in pet-friendly houses for rent often have to pay an additional fee for the potential risk that a pet brings. Known as “pet rent”, landlords usually pay pet owners an average of $35/month to cover any potential damage or wear and tear your pet may cause. Some also ask for a pet security deposit, often $100-$600.
While many landlords refuse pets, luckily, there are several pet-friendly rooms and pet-friendly coliving spaces for rent in most cities throughout America.
In this article, we’ll outline the most pet-friendly cities in the US, explain how to find a roommate as a pet owner, and detail three pet-friendly coliving spaces for your consideration.
Pet-friendly cities in the US
Overall, America is a very pet-friendly country. As noted above, approximately 2/3 of the population own pets and spent $72 billion on caring for them in 2019.
Because the US has such a dynamic landscape that includes some of the biggest cities in the world, the costs associated with pet-friendly living vastly differ from place to place.
WalletHub compared the 100 most populated cities across the States and created scores based on 24 metrics, including pet budget-friendliness, pet health and wellness, and outdoor pet-friendliness.
Scottsdale, Arizona, took the prize while Los Angeles came in 27th, San Francisco in 41st, and New York in 54th.
Top US cities for pet-friendly rental options
While the survey above considers many vital factors, it does not measure results based on pet-friendly rental options.
Real estate site Trulia ranked pet-friendliness in cities throughout the States based on the largest rental markets. They considered factors such as landlords allowing pets, the lowest pet fees (pet rent and deposit) charged by landlords, how many vets, dog walkers, and grooming services were available in the area and more.
Based on their findings, San Francisco took the top prize. According to Trulia’s research, the average pet deposit in the Bay Area is only $57. Regarding the rate of landlords allowing pets, they found that 26% allow cats, 17% allow small dogs and 4% allow large dogs.
Image Source: Trulia
San Francisco is also incredibly pet-friendly outside of your accommodation. The city allows dogs on the trolley, in many restaurants, and even in some gyms! San Fran is also home to DogFest, an annual event at one of the city’s most pet-friendly parks where dogs compete for Best Trick, Best Costume, Best Ears, Best Bark, and more. All dogs are welcome to compete for a small fee of $20.
Events like this are what make pet-friendly cities so fun. San Francisco is an all-inclusive, pet-accessible, open city whose landlords understand the importance of pet ownership and care.
Seattle, Denver, Oakland, and Portland rounded out the top 5 on Trulia’s list, while New York came in 8th and Los Angeles came in 16th.
Size and breed sometimes matter.
Unfortunately, when it comes to pet-friendly renting, the bigger your animal, the less likely the landlord will accept it.
Nationwide, just 4% of landlords officially welcome big dogs (more than 50 lbs) in their units. That’s because they’re worried that bigger pets can cause more wear and tear in the space. Yet, most pet owners are responsible and will do everything they can to ensure their pet causes minimal damage.
There is also the unfortunate reality of breed restrictions based on public stigma toward certain dog types. These restrictions are often based on fear rather than fact. But this makes it difficult for landlords, as they have a business to run and risk losing tenants if they fear certain breeds.
Combatting rental barriers
Many landlords are pet lovers but are worried about the state of their pet-friendly rooms if an untrained pet were to tear up a rug, for example. They also have to do their best to ease the minds of all of their renters, especially regarding anxiety over certain breeds.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recommends contacting landlords even if they state they won’t accept pets. A friendly conversation may be all you need to convince them that your pet will not cause problems.
One way to ease their worries is by creating a Pet Resume to show off your pet’s best qualities. You can also ask your landlord if they’d be willing to meet your pet to help ease any concerns. You never know what may come from that conversation or meeting.
How to find a roommate in a pet-friendly unit as a pet owner
Many resources are available to help you find a roommate as a pet owner.
The Animal Humane Society, for example, lists several rental websites that display listings that specify whether or not pets are allowed.
Coliving also has many pet-friendly coliving spaces available. To simplify your search, you can filter for pet-friendly coliving spaces. To locate this filter, choose your desired city, click “more filters,” then “house rules,” and select “Pets are welcome.”
Things to consider when moving into pet-friendly coliving with a pet and roommates
It would help if you pondered many factors when moving into a pet-friendly rental space with your pet and others. First and foremost, you must respect your roommates as you share space.
Whether in a traditional lease or a pet-friendly coliving space, you’ll be living with people with varying degrees of familiarity and comfort regarding pets. Have an open and honest conversation with your new roommates about how they feel, what they are willing to tolerate, and so on, to ensure everybody is on the same page and happy.
Work schedule and location
If you have to work from a physical office space, you must consider how leaving a pet home with your roommates may affect them. The last thing you want to do is assume that your roommates will take responsibility for feeding or walking your animal when you’re not there.
Some ways to combat this include scheduling breaks to come home and be with your animal, hiring a dog walker, putting your dog in doggy daycare, or working from home.
Pet-friendly coliving spaces with coworking units inside are a fantastic choice if you work from home. This way, you’ll spend more time with your pet and gain an inspiring community of remote workers, entrepreneurs, and even startup teams to spend your workday with. This can significantly boost productivity levels and motivate you to produce fantastic output.
Finances
Of course, you need enough money to feed and care for yourself and your furry friend. You’ll want to choose an affordable, pet-friendly rental situation that’s big enough for you, your pet, and your roommates.s
This is where pet-friendly coliving spaces can help. Coliving spaces are often more affordable than traditional rental scenarios, as they allow you to share an ample space with multiple people who are partitioning resources. They also do not require pet fees, which can help you save cash monthly.
If you work from home, you’ll also save money as you won’t need to pay for an additional coworking space or spend money on beverages when working in a coffee shop.
Lifestyle
Are you more of a homebody or an outdoor enthusiast? Do you plan to take your dog to the park to release energy, or will you play mostly inside?
These are essential things to know before you look for roommates or a pet-friendly coliving space. If you are a homebody and your roommates are too, an apartment can feel tiny if you’re all there 24/7. But, if you’re an outdoorsy person who’s often out and about with your animal, having roommates who are home usually won’t matter as much.
When it comes to a coliving space, you’ll want to consider the types of people you’ll be living with. If you are moving in with creatives, who will have precious art supplies in shared spaces, bringing in a rambunctious bigger dog may be a distraction. But, if you are moving in with people without expensive equipment to protect, that could be a better suit for a high-energy breed.
Location
It’s also essential to consider your location near parks, animal services, and pet-friendly scenes (i.e., restaurants, bars, etc.).
Living near a dog park will be critical if your pet is a high-energy breed. But proximity to outdoor spaces won't matter as much if you have a small dog breed or a cat.
When choosing a location, consider your surroundings and how they will affect your lifestyle. You want to be close enough to the activities and spaces that enhance your and your pet’s lives.
3 pet-friendly coliving spaces
Several pet-friendly coliving spaces exist worldwide. We’ve chosen our top three picks in the US, which you can find on Coliving.com.
#1. In Downtown LA, this 5-resident pet-friendly coliving space near Little Tokyo/Art District is perfect for creatives. Designed with the ambiance of a boutique hotel, it is the ideal setup for creative professionals and their pets. The coliving team manages innovative short-term and long-term coliving homes and acts as an agency partner to their residents. Within the unit, they offer fully furnished private/shared bedrooms, curated experiential events, free utilities, a co-working space, a video production studio, and camera equipment. It also has a large backyard with grass. This outdoor space is the perfect size for letting your pet run around and release some energy.
#2. Just outside Manhattan, NY this coliving space for students, digital nomads, and young professionals can host up to 26 residents and their pets at a time. Their goal is to simplify the process of moving to NYC for tech startups, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, freelancers, remote workers, professionals, students, and anyone looking to move to a new city and meet new people. They’ve built a robust community offering their residents general and professional networking opportunities. It has an ample outdoor space perfect for owners looking to give their pets fresh air throughout their day.
#3. In San Diego, CA, this coliving space for collaborative coliving for creatives and young professionals accepts three residents at a time. The community focuses on collaboration and peaceful coexistence. In the house are an on-site music and art studio, a large communal area catered to inspire relaxation and productivity, a coworking space, and a decently sized courtyard with a brand-new wooden deck (perfect for your pet to relax). The coliving space operators host regular community dinners, outings, gatherings, and enrichment events. The property is gated, ensuring your pet cannot escape and will be safe.
Finding the purrfect place to live
Having a pet shouldn’t hinder your ability to find affordable accommodation in America. Several landlords and coliving spaces are out there ready to welcome you and your pet with open arms.
To find the perfect pet-friendly coliving space today, head over Coliving.com and use the “Pets are welcome” filter to aid your search.
You can also check Coliving for pet lovers
