66% of American families own at least one pet. For community management teams, that means there’s a decision that needs to be made – pets or no pets? There are benefits to having a pet-friendly community, but those benefits don’t come risk-free. At OccupancySolutions.com, we want to break down a few of the pros and cons that come along with allowing pets within your community.

Pros Of Allowing Pets

By restricting or banning pets from your community, you could be restricting more than 6 out of every 10 prospects that take interest in leasing with you. According to Forbes, pet ownership is at 66% in the United States as of 2024, and these are all individuals or families who need a place to live that includes themselves and their pets. By allowing pets, you’re not leaving anyone out, and you’ll be able to reach an unlimited number of potential prospects.

Pet owners are also more likely to renew their residency. If you’re looking to lower your resident turnover, allowing pets could lead to a dramatic improvement in retention. Residents with pets know how difficult it can be to find someplace to live that welcomes them and their pets, so when they find someplace they love, they tend to stick with it.

Cons Of Allowing Pets

The benefits of allowing pets aren’t without risk. Community management teams that allow pets within residences, first and foremost, put themselves at higher risk of property damage. Animals can be unpredictable, and they may cause scratches on the floor, soiling on the carpet, or even chewing damage. The responsibility for this damage should be carefully laid out in resident rental agreements.

Pets may also lead to resident conflicts in some instances. Dogs in particular can be noisy, and a resident who crates their dog while they’re at work may not know that their pet tends to bark throughout the day. The resident next door could grow tired of the barking day after day and come to community management to solve the issue.

Weighing out the pros and cons is important for any community management team considering pets within their communities. To learn more about the benefits of allowing pets within your residences, contact us at OccupancySolutions.com today.