More than Eighty-Four Percent of Surveyed Renters Own Pets

CHICAGO, March 2007 – People are passionate about their pets as a recent Apartments.com survey of renters indicates more than eighty-four percent of respondents own one. Locating an apartment that will allow pets may take a little extra time, yet there are many options available for renters. More than one third of survey respondents state that it was very difficult to find an apartment that allowed pets, however, more than eighty-five percent of survey respondents currently live in an apartment property that permits pets.

The Apartments.com survey further found that sixty-seven percent of the properties that allow pets require a pet deposit or other pet-related fee. Pet owners must be prepared to pay additional fees for securing against pet related damages to their apartment, twenty-eight percent of renters surveyed stated that pet deposits were preferable to pet rent fees.

In addition, fourteen percent of pet owners say that a community’s pet policy is the first thing they consider when visiting and selecting an apartment. “I love having a pet in my apartment because it feels more like home. The people in the entire building seem nicer and friendlier since the pets also brighten up the common areas,” a survey respondent commented.

Karen Okura, manager of behavior and training for the Anti-Cruelty Society adds, “Many people feel that pets are more than a part of the family — they are family. And that's why it would never enter a renter's mind to move without their dogs, their cats, their birds. Family never leaves another family member behind.”

Apartments.com allows renters to search for apartments that allow pets including specific search criteria for cats, small dogs (under 25 lbs) and large dogs. According to the Apartments.com search data, the most popular states for pet searches are:
1. Colorado
2. Oregon
3. Washington
4. Kansas
5. New Hampshire
6. Arizona
7. New Mexico
8. Missouri
9. Ohio
10. Minnesota
Search data reflects the number of March 2007 pet searches compared to all searches by state on Apartments.com.

Of the renters that do not have a pet, more than sixty-three percent plan to have one in the future and more than thirty-two percent of renters are currently without a pet because of pet restrictions at their community.

As part of its monthly “What Renters Want” research series, Apartments.com surveys renters on various topics. For more information on these surveys, to receive a copy of additional survey results or for a comprehensive listing of most searched markets, please contact Lisa DeVries at ldevries@apartments.com.

About Apartments.com
Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service with more than 50,000 unique addresses representing more than two million rental units from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner properties. With personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours, professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, Apartments.com makes it possible for renters to access apartment rental inventory from across town or across the country. Leads from highly qualified ready-to-rent prospects are delivered Apartments.com customers, increasing closure rates and decreasing the average cost of leasing an apartment. The site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 190 affiliate and strategic partners across the country include the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) and the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com). Apartments.com is a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC.

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