Between 70-90% of landlords don’t accept dogs, however, just because an ad for an apartment says no dogs, doesn’t mean it’s truly not an option. I fell in love with our apartment online, but we have two big dogs (a 75lb lab and a 45lb ridgeback) and the ad said no dogs. Our dogs are beloved members of our family and aren’t going anywhere (my husband calls me the crazy dog lady) so I contacted the landlord, sent pics of our pups looking friendly and cuddly and we negotiated to pay an extra $25 pet fee per month. Voila – the apartment was ours!
If you have a dog and are looking for dog friendly apartments in Chicago, here are a few tips:
- The Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago has a great list of dog and cat friendly apartment buildings which can be accessed here. This is NOT a complete list so check CraigsList or contact me at slhata(at)koenigstrey(dot)com and I can run a search of pet friendly apartments for you in MLS.
- Many apartments only allow dogs up to a certain weight level so if you have a larger dog, read the fine print on the ad or in MLS
- Most apartments allow a maximum of 2 dogs, so if you have more than 2 dogs I would highly recommend getting a realtor as it’s going to be a tougher search than normal.
- If you have a rescue dog and suspect it might be a bully breed, consider having a dog DNA test done at your vet. Most rescues are a mix of many different breeds so even though it might be part pit bull, it’s probably a lot of other breeds as well and being able to say that it’s X, Y and Z breed not just pit bull might help assuage any fears your new landlord has.
- Offer to pay a dog deposit or extra monthly fee
- Send references from your current landlord, vet, dog daycare provider, etc. to your prospective landlord saying how wonderful your dog is
- Offer to bring your dog to meet the prospective landlord
- Send photos or a video of your dog
- Send a list of any training your dog has completed, especially if your dog has passed the AKC’s Good Canine Citizen Certification Program
Lastly, a note about certain breeds of dogs, sometimes called bully breeds. – Many landlords have a policy against bully breeds. Us dog owners know that most of the time, it isn’t the breed that is the problem, it’s the owner. If you have a bully breed, we strongly recommend having your vet write a letter of recommendation. Get pamphlets online or from Animal Control which talk about why bully breeds aren’t dangerous. Also, call your insurance company and make sure they will insure the apartment with your dog on the policy. That alone may help alleviate the new landlord’s fears.
Any other tips for those looking for pet friendly apartments in Chicago?
-Shay
