Although a growing number of apartment communities are becoming pet-friendly, pet owners are still faced with an uphill battle when it comes to finding rental housing. An emerging trend of the past few years that aids pet owners in landing their dream rentals is the pet resume. You can find below all the essential points you should include in your pet’s resume.
- Start off with a cute photo of your pet. A dog playing outside, especially with a child, will inadvertently send the message that your pet gets plenty of outdoor exercise and is great with kids.
- Describe your pet, including what type of animal it is, breed, age, size. If he’s a mellow, laid-back pet, include it here. It can also prove very advantageous to include how long you’ve had your pet. A long-time ownership will make property managers more inclined to trust your knowledge and control over him.
- Provide training info, such as whether or not he’s house-broken, leash-trained, obeys voice commands etc. Be sure to include any behavioral or obedience training he attended and include certificates of graduation. If your dog has not attended obedience training, it might be smart to sign him up for classes at a local kennel club, SPCA chapter, animal rescue society or pet store.
- Health and grooming. Be sure to mention if your pet is spayed/neutered and how this positively affects his or her behavior and overall health. Mention that your pets are up to date on their shots and provide your vet’s contact info. Describe how you keep your pet clean and flea-free. Mention professional groomers you visit and the frequency of the sessions. It could be helpful to explain the grooming schedule. For example, a pug or shorthair Chihuahua won’t need to be shorn, whereas a poodle needs frequent professional grooming.
- Activities. Describe how you provide the adequate amount of exercise for your pet, such as frequency of walks, visits to off leash parks, etc. This is also the place to disclose if you have a high-energy dog, such as a border collie, since you can offset that information by showing you provide plenty of activities to avoid your dog from running around and barking all day in your apartment. This is also the place to mention if you employ a dog walker and how often they will be visiting.
- You will score major bonus points if you provide details of how your pets will be attended to when you are traveling or work very long hours regularly.
- Mention how you always clean up after your pets and dispose pet waste in the safest way possible.
- Include an About Us section at the end in which you detail why you or you and your roommates/significant other are good pet owners. Mention if you are part of any animal protection organizations – this will elevate a landlord’s opinion on your capabilities to properly care for an animal. This is also the place to detail why your pet is so important to you, why you know your pet will be a good tenant and what your pet care history is (e.g. having grown up with pets around, having volunteered at a shelter, etc.). Be sure to include that you are happy to introduce your pet to any potential future landlords.
- Mention that your renter’s insurance has pet liability coverage, such as Resident Shield’s dog bite provision. In fact, it might be smartest to opt for a pet insurance add-on , such as Resident Shield’s Pet Damage Coverage, that offers you $500 in liability in the event of Pet Damage to the apartment.
- Include references. Attach your current landlord’s contact info and a letter of recommendation for your pet. Letters of recommendation from your groomer, dog trainer, neighbors, vet as well as a health certificate from your vet, will make both of you that more trustworthy and responsible. Don’t forget to include current phone numbers, so your potential new landlord can check your references easily.
