Finding Pet-Friendly Apartments In The Metro - FreebieMNL

Pet-Friendly Apartments In The Metro Are Getting Harder To Find

A story of moving to a new apartment all for the love of a pet cat.


Pets bring joy to people’s lives. Whether it’s a dog, a cat, a rabbit, or some other domestic animal, pets serve as great companions. They can provide emotional support and teach kids responsibility. Most people see their pets as part of the family, which is why they prefer living in pet-friendly apartments.

I’ve been around animals my entire life. The family had three Labradors when I was a toddler. We had a Spitz while I was in grade school. Mom used to pick up stray cats while I was away at college. Now I’m a furparent to a Siamese cat that was a gift from my dentist. Her name is Doris, and she’s a spoiled child.

Imagine my distress when I received notice that I needed to move out because of Doris.


Either the cat goes or I go

My landlord knocked on the door one Sunday morning. She said the owner of the apartment I was renting was set to return to the Philippines. Unfortunately, they don’t like animals, so we had to rehome Doris or move. Another furparent tenant got the same notice minutes later.

At the time, I’d had Doris for a while. She’s potty trained, quiet, and stays indoors. In other words, Doris doesn’t bother anyone. She’s a sweet cat. She likes cuddling and scratches (scratch the top of her head and she’ll love you forever). She also likes having people carry her as if she were a human baby. The idea of letting my cat go made me sick to my stomach. I’d felt that way when we lost the stray cats my mom adopted before. I never wanted to feel that way again. Not if I could do anything about it. So even if it was an unplanned expense, the decision to move was easy to make.


The lack of pet-friendly apartments

Minutes after my landlord left, I went online to look for a new apartment. I checked sites like Lamudi and MyProperty. I joined several Facebook groups. Mom also went around our neighborhood looking for ads.

While there are many rentals available, only a handful are truly pet-friendly. Some say they allow pets, only to follow up that statement with a long list of conditions pet owners must meet. Some allow only small pets to avoid any damage to the property. Certain conditions are understandable. After all, some pets may be noisy and cause a disturbance. But it’s still surprising to find so few places that cater to tenants with pets.


Where to find pet-friendly apartments

Many platforms advertise apartment rentals. Unfortunately, there isn’t one exclusive to pet-friendly properties. You need to refine searches and filter results. You have to make an effort to ask advertisers about their listings.

The Facebook groups I joined bore fruit. I posted a list of amenities and features I was looking for. I also included my budget and other information about Doris. Within minutes, I got comments and messages about pet-friendly apartments. Landlords and I set up viewing schedules almost immediately. Two days after my previous landlord gave me an eviction notice, I found a new place and paid the deposit. We moved five days later. Even if my previous landlord gave us until August, we found no reason to stay where Doris wasn’t welcome.


Having a pet requires dedication

I used up a good chunk of my savings because of the sudden move. But I can always earn that money back. The therapeutic effects that Doris brings into my life aren’t as easy to replace.

This experience reminded me that having a pet is hard work. Although moving to a new place was hard, I’d do it all over again for the love of my cat.

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