Pet-Inclusive Housing

The following guidelines may be helpful in your search for housing that allows pets. See below for some helpful links that will help you with your housing search.

• Give yourself enough time! Start your search as soon as you know you need to move.
• Understand your budget: Do you need income-restricted housing? There are special websites to help you search for affordable options.
• Find a realtor who will search for pet-friendly apartments for you.
• Look for online resources where you can search for apartments that allow pets and sites like Housing Navigator MA and Zillow  that allow you to refine parameters to include pet-friendly options.

Finding an apartment that will accept your pet often depends on your ability to market yourself as a responsible companion animal owner. Here are some suggestions on how to put you and your pet’s best paw forward.

• Write a pet resume. Include information about the age of your pet, whether the pet is spayed or neutered, and a behavioral description (e.g., training background, character traits). Be sure to include your veterinarian’s name and phone number along with other personal references.
• Ask for a letter of recommendation from your veterinarian, former landlords, and neighbors to document that you are a responsible pet owner.
• Show class certifications or proof of attendance if your dog has attended training classes.
• Provide documentation that your pet is spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and up to date on veterinary care.
• Offer to let your prospective landlord meet your pet and see your current apartment.
• Offer to pay a security deposit or secure liability insurance to cover the cost of any pet-related damage.
• Offer to accept a short term lease where your landlord can see if you and your companion animal are acceptable as long-term tenants. Make sure you get in writing the terms of the short-term lease and advance notification time requirements.
• Offer to negotiate an addendum to the lease that indicates what the landlord expects of you and your animal.
• Market yourself. Pet owners are more likely to stay put since pet friendly housing is difficult to find. Let prospective landlords know that you understand their concerns and agree that living with a companion animal is not a right but a privilege that you take very seriously.

Finding an apartment for rent that allows companion animals can be difficult, but the following resources can help aid your housing search.

Working with Housing Management on a Pets-Allowed Policy
Download our Guidelines for Responsible Pet Ownership (.pdf), a model agreement between management and tenants about responsible pet ownership.

Assistance Animals in Housing
Visit our webpage to learn more about the laws that allow people with disabilities to keep pets in housing.

How You Can Help
Visit our state legislation webpage to stay up to date on bills we’re working on that relate to companion animals and housing.

Temporary Housing: Hotels and Motels in MA with Pet-Friendly Policies
See a list of hotels and motels across Massachusetts with pet-friendly policies. This list will continue to be updated. Please email advocacy@mspca.org if you think a business should be added to this spreadsheet.