When Isabel Lara, a South End resident, began her search for a suitable apartment for her family and their dog last year, she encountered the longstanding issue that many Boston dog owners face: the scarcity of pet-friendly rentals. In her experience, landlords often showed apprehension when they met Lara's American pit bull terrier, causing the process to become more challenging than she initially expected, according to Boston Globe.
According to a recent Trulia survey, when it comes to pet-friendly rentals, Boston lags behind San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas, ranking mediocre 14th out of 25 cities. The survey found that 20 percent of landlords in Boston permitted renters to bring in cats, while a mere 1 percent welcomed large dogs, and only 9 percent were receptive to small dogs.
In spite of these figures, the numbers are gradually improving, thanks to an uptick in new apartment high-rises and developments, according to David Crowley, director of sales and marketing at Raveis Marketing Group. He noted that "Boston is increasingly becoming pet-friendly in many ways, both in terms of private and public spaces."
Residences such as One North of Boston, are offering doggie day care services, and 315 on A, a high-rise in Fort Point, have begun to CharArray expand pet-friendly accommodation options. Yet, the situation remains difficult for many renters with pets, especially those under the pressure of a rapidly changing and challenging rental market, because of certain landlords' insurance and deposit policies as per The Wildest.
Landlord hesitations are often due to past negative experiences with irresponsible tenants or complaints from others in the building about allergies. One solution increasingly being adopted is higher security deposits, along with renter's insurance and a proactive approach towards addressing concerns. In addition, providing references and attempting to understand the root of their hesitations can also be helpful according to The Wildest.
