Renting with a furry friend in L.A.

I’d sure love to live in a pet-friendly utopia where dogs and landlords get along perfectly. Since this is real life, we do have to cope with various issues associated to renting with a pet and sometimes that’s no easy task.

According to a recent study released by the American Humane Association, of all the people who willingly gave up their animals, the most common reason cited was that the landlord or place of residence did not allow dogs or cats. This was true for 29 percent of dog owners and 21 percent of cat owners.

Most of the time pet-loving renters have to pay extra attention to how they plead their case, have a thick security deposit check at hand and become extremely resourceful when negotiating for themselves and their furry friends.

When looking for a place to rent you must explicitly look for apartments that display pet-friendly features, which are also within comfortable distances of vet clinics, dog parks or green spaces.

There are many reasons behind pet restriction rules including growing concerns over the aggressive behavior of certain dog breeds, tenant allergies, cleanliness or noise, and some of them are legit. Landlords have all sorts of bad experiences to relate to and sometimes the only way we can get into a nice home is to show them we can be good pet owners, respectful of their property and considerate to other tenants of the building. So make sure you include such examples in your plea, too.

Then prepare a dog résumé, not kidding. It’s actually a way to make proof of your pet’s medical history and diffuse any behavior/health-related fears. Include if possible references from previous residences, landlords or neighbors. Sometimes showing up with a well-groomed, well-behaved animal is not enough. But if you’ve got strong “recommendations” to back you up, you’re one step away of getting your dream home.

To gain a few extra points, you could offer to buy renters insurance. This is a way to reassure the landlord of your good intentions and you’ll be both protected in case of any damages or injuries caused by your pet.