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FINDING A PET-FRIENDLY APARTMENT

WHAT IS AN APARTMENT THAT IS PET-FRIENDLY?

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It can be challenging to find the perfect apartment where you and your furry family member can all live.  When searching for pet-friendly apartments, there is much to consider.  Shreveport- Bossier City Apartment Shoppers Guide and aptshopper.com can help you find a great place for you and your four-legged roommate to call home.  Let’s get started!

WHAT IS AN APARTMENT THAT IS PET-FRIENDLY?

Pets are allowed in many apartments, but with a whole list of specific conditions and limitations.  First consider how pet-friendly you would like your apartment community to be.  For example, you might find an apartment that only allows cats or has restrictions on the size of your pet to 20 pounds or less.  Also, there is a wide range of extra fees along with restrictions that are more likely in apartments that allow pets.  Such extra fees may include a pet deposit or even a monthly pet rent. 

Now let’s talk about taking Pet-Friendly to the next level:  There are pet-friendly apartment communities that open their doors wide with a big welcome mat to your furry family member. These pet-friendly communities have few pet restrictions, no weight limit, a pet-washing station and possibly even an apartment community on-site dog park.  Some even have puppy gatherings called puppy socials in case your puppy wants friends to gather and run around with.  Sometimes, you can even find treats in the front office for your pet. 

So, you need to ask yourself?  How pet-friendly would you like your apartment community to be?  What are your “needs” verses your “don’t needs” when it comes to pet amenities.   Are you willing to pay additional costs for these extra pet amenities?  You could be required to pay a pet rent which you would pay every month along with your regular rent.  Most likely all pet-friendly apartment communities require a pet deposit to be paid up front.  This pet deposit is often refundable if no repairs are needed for damages to repair your apartment once you move out.  If there are damages due to your pet, then the cost of repairing those damages will be taken from the pet deposit. 

 

APARTMENT PET RESTRICTIONS

If you have a pet other than a dog or cat you may find it difficult to rent an apartment.  Most apartment communities do not allow pets such as frogs, snakes, birds, turtles, rabbits, ferrets to name a few.  These types of pets are considered exotic pets and are typically not allowed.  Most apartment communities also have a limit of two pets per apartment.  Due to the relatively small size of most apartments, having several pets could lead to damage to the apartment due to the footage.  Depending on your apartment community’s insurance policy or a city or county ordinance some dog breeds are banned from apartment communities.  Due to dog bite claims, the insurance liability coverage is becoming stricter and the cost is more expensive.   There is no set list of banned breeds, and the list may vary from one apartment community to the next.   Below are some of the more aggressive dogs that you might find on a restricted breeds list.

  • Pit Bull Terriers
  • Terriers
  • Alaskan Malamutes
  • German Shepherds
  • Great Danes
  • Rottweilers
  • Dobermans Pinschers
  • Chow Chows
  • Huskies
  • Akitas
  • Boxers

Note:  Service Dogs and emotional support animals are exempt from all pet restrictions according to Federal Fair Housing laws and are officially, not considered pets.

 

With a little research and a lot of preparedness, you should be able to find that perfect apartment for you and your pet.    The Shreveport Apartment Shoppers Guide and aptshopper.com are happy to help with this process.

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