81% of long-term rental operators report a growth in pet ownership
Report Pinpoints Need for Pet-Inclusive Rental Housing
Love for pets is at an all-time high and only continues to increase. The American Pet Products Association indicates that 71% of U.S. households own a pet, while research by the Pew Research Center found that an overwhelming majority of pet owners, 97%, consider their pets part of the family to some extent.
These trends, naturally, have major implications for rental housing.
More than ever, residents are evaluating a property’s pet-centric features and friendliness when making their decisions about where to live. This puts the onus on properties not only to provide an exceptional pet-related experience, but also to mitigate pet- and animal-related risks to offer a pet-responsible environment, as well.
The 2026 State of Pets in Rental Housing Report by PetScreening shows that 81% of long-term rental operators report a growth in pet ownership, meaning these rental properties must find ways to cater to modern pet owners while navigating the handful of challenges associated with welcoming pets. The report provides a detailed snapshot of what operators must do to strike the balance.
Pet-Centric Benefits and Restrictions
Based on the feedback of 673 property managers and leasing professionals in the multifamily and single-family rental sectors, the report found that most operators believe their communities are appealing to pet owners. A healthy 68% rated their properties a four or five, on a scale of one to five, for pet friendliness.
Among the portfolios surveyed, however, only 43% of renters reported having pets,a figure nearly 30 percentage points lower than national pet ownership estimates. This suggests that many pets in rentals may be unauthorized or underreported because residents are trying to avoid pet fees or restrictions, such as breed or size. Without the ability to accurately track the onsite pet population, operators might be missing rightful pet-related revenue and also unknowingly exposing themselves to pet-related liability risks.
The report also found that the benefits of allowing pets onsite include increased resident applications (mentioned by 40.8% of respondents), increased resident satisfaction (26.9%) and increased lease renewals (23.4%). These figures could prompt operators to consider reducing or eliminating breed, weight and other restrictions as much as possible and evaluate pets and owners on an individual basis. By doing so, operators can effectively gain a larger share of the pet-owning renter pool and remain competitive with communities that are more pet-inclusive.
The most common restrictions cited in the report were pet limits per household (78.4%), while additional traditional restrictions such as breed (66.7%), and weight limits (59.8%) also remain prevalent.
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Pet Amenity Trends
The most common pet-related features cited in the report were pet waste stations (45.4%) and pet parks (32.1%), each of which supports cleanliness, damage mitigation and shared outdoor use. While these are crucial, they offer limited differentiation in competitive markets. Amenities designed to bolster the pet-owning experience and enhance community engagement are far less prevalent.
For instance, only 24.9% of respondents offer dog walking services, and just 11.8% host pet-focused events. This suggests that many operators have yet to tap into services that directly support convenience, connection and lifestyle value for pet owners. More operationally complex services, such as boarding (0.7%) and pet daycare (0.5%), are virtually absent from most rental portfolios, indicating that operators either perceive these services as cost-prohibitive or lack scalable models to deliver them.
While most operators provide baseline pet accommodations, relatively few deliver amenities that create a meaningfully enriched pet experience. This gap represents a competitive opportunity, as renters increasingly evaluate housing through the perceived quality of life for their pets.
Pet-Related Damage and Challenges
Welcoming pets onsite can increase demand and revenue, but it’s not without certain risks. Survey respondents report that, on average, 31.5% of their homes experience pet-related damage, with a mean repair cost of $567 per affected unit.
Having pets and assistance animals onsite can pose a wide array of challenges for onsite teams beyond the risk of property damage. The most prominent challenges cited by respondents were unauthorized pets onsite, property damage and screening assistance animal accommodation requests. Additional challenges, in order, include pet waste, pets off-leash, bites or physical harm, pets in unauthorized community areas and pet-related noise.
Key Takeaways
To attract and retain the modern pet-owning renter, rental-housing operators must provide residents and their pets with a first-class living experience.
When properties embrace pet-inclusivity, they can boost demand and drive revenue. Forward-thinking operators who reduce pet-related restrictions as much as possible and implement forward-thinking amenities and services can create significant competitive advantages.
The report also shows that welcoming pets and assistance animals presents a variety of operational and risk-management challenges. With many properties short-staffed or experiencing frequent turnover in the current labor market, these challenges are only magnified.
Fortunately, cutting-edge tools are now available to help. By effectively utilizing them, operators can welcome pets responsibly, create a flourishing pet-centric experience and bolster the bottom line.
Source: Multifamily Insiders
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