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If you are a pet friendly landlord in Santa Cruz county, or know of one, please contact us!

Start the Search

  1. Bay Area PET FRIENDLY Housing group on Facebook
  2. National Dog-Inclusive Rental Database
  3. Nextdoor.com
  4. Craigslist

Advice for tenants with pets looking for pet friendly housing:


  • Have your pet neutered or spayed or neutered. Plus, it's the law in Santa Cruz County.
  • Bring up the subject of pets in person with the property owner rather than over the phone, if possible. Personally presenting information about yourself and your pet may help convince the landlord to say yes.
  • Gather references from former landlords, neighbors, obedience instructors, and veterinarians. Include such documents as proof of spay/neuter, records of up-to-date vaccinations, indications of regular vet visits, and obedience school diplomas. 
  • Write a pet resume! Highlight the qualities of your animal, such as: able to stay alone quietly, house-trained, doesn't chew or howl, etc. Explain how you exercise your dog and how you've helped him learn to be calm, how you keep your pet clean and flea-free, and how the fact that your animal is spayed/neutered will benefit the landlord. Include an attractive picture of your pet at rest. Here's a free Canva template!
  • Encourage the landlord to meet your groomed, well-behaved pet in your current home or elsewhere. Besides having your pet altered, have proof of vaccinations, rabies vaccination and current county license for dogs. 
  • Offer to sign a pet agreement/addendum and pay an additional pet deposit as necessary. Remind landlords that responsible pet owners make responsible tenants.
  • Offer to have the carpets cleaned at move out. I have offered this and it really does help. Plus, it's the right thing to do. For smaller apartments, it really doesn't cost that much and there are lots of places in SC that offer great prices on carpet cleaning. *After you move in: Always clean up after your pet. Give your animal enough exercise so that he or she is calm in the apartment when left alone at home. Never let the dog or cat roam outside; keep your animal on leash.

More advice for renters, particularly with breeds commonly discriminated against:

https://badrap.org/training-resources/renting-your-dog

Get your Bully breed its Canine Good Citizenship!

Advice for landlords:

Facts To Guide Your Approach to Pets and Pet Owners

  • Companies that do not adapt to the growing number of families with pets will be left behind. Fifty years ago, pets in apartments and condos were somewhat rare, but the market has changed. Pets are now welcomed in most properties. Staying ahead of the competition means having policies that are affordable, fair and welcoming to all pet families.
  • Research shows that pet-owning tenants do not cause more damage or other financial concerns than tenants who don’t own pets. Holding pet owners responsible for controlling their pets and any damage caused by them through a pet deposit or slightly increasing the rent also offsets costs. Additionally, size is not indicative of a pet’s behavior or potential to cause damage. Some large dogs are couch potatoes, while some small dogs are high-energy. This makes rental policies that set size restrictions arbitrary and counterproductive. It’s smarter to meet pets in person and make a decision about each pet individually.

  • There’s no such thing as “a dangerous dog breed.” Breed is not predictive of an individual dog’s behavior or suitability for rental housing living. Banning specific breeds does not reduce risk, leading hundreds of cities and nearly half of US states to ban breed-specific policymaking. Restricting by breed does not prevent undesired dog behaviors, but it most certainly prevents some great residents from living in your community. Why labeling a dog based on its looks is inaccurate: https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/visual-breed-identification/ 
  • Never require de-vocalization of pets or declawing of cats as a condition of tenancy; these are practices that hurt animals. Breed restrictions are also inhumane, as they threaten to separate good dogs from their families.
  • Pet policies should support good pet keeping habits and protect the property. Consider providing pet owners with information about low-cost vaccinations and local training resources. (Unaltered pets are more likely to spray urine or mark territory, so providing spay/neuter information is a win-win for you and your residents.)Make compliance with your policies easy! Offer dog-walking stations with waste bags and a disposal bin.
  • Charge a fair, affordable, data-driven pet fee and/or fully refundable deposit to support the amenities you provide. Excessive pet deposits can discourage good renters from applying to live in your community. Pets Are Welcome does not mean losing property value or providing low-quality services to your residents.
  • Federal and state laws recognize the value of the human/animal bond and include legal protections that may apply to some of your pet-owning tenants. Be familiar with laws such as the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure your pet policies aren’t violating them.
  • Setting clear and enforceable standards of care is more effective in avoiding pet problems than setting arbitrary limits on the number of animals a renter may own. For example, one person may be unable to adequately care for one pet, while another might be able to provide exceptional care for multiple animals. Sixty-seven percent of renting pet owners have more than one pet, and are a large share of the market.

Becoming a 'Pets Are Welcome' Property:

How can your property set policies that make this a reality, gaining you good tenants and keeping pet-loving families together? Start by following these guidelines:

1) Make it clear that you welcome pets as valued members of the family! While this may seem obvious, it might be the first step you need to take. Are your leases clear that pets are allowed and what conditions apply? Is your sales team familiar with all the pet policies, amenities and rules of the company and individual complex? Welcoming pets is an action item: Make it clear in your advertising that you welcome dogs, cats and other small family pets.

2) Enforce your pet policies uniformly, fairly and equitably. Enforce policies across the board so tenants are clear on expectations, and avoid sending mixed messages caused by selective enforcement. Your policy should contain a grievance procedure that is resolution-oriented to keep the pet and family together.

3) Eliminate inhumane policies and set smart ones.

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