Should Allowing Pets in my Rental Property

Hi, I’m David Kerner with TouchPoint Property Management, where we turn rental challenges into profitable, stress-free investments. One of the most common questions I get from property owners is: “Should I allow pets in my rental property?” And I get it — most owners worry about damage, wear and tear, or even liability. Those are valid concerns. But after managing hundreds of pet-friendly homes over the last 20 years, my answer is almost always —Yes, you should allow pets. The key is to do it the right way— with structure, screening, and oversight. Because when it’s handled correctly, allowing pets isn’t a liability — it’s an opportunity. Let’s look at the numbers: About 70% of renters searching online have at least one pet, and 90% of rental listings already allow them. So if you don’t allow pets, you’re cutting your renter pool down to just 30%. That means fewer showings, longer vacancy, and often lower rent. But when you do allow pets — and manage it correctly — you can: - Rent faster - Fill vacancies sooner - Keep tenants longer - And even achieve full market rent Now, how do you protect your property? That’s where we come in. At TouchPoint, we’ve built a very structured and protective system that includes: 1. Comprehensive Pet Screening through PetScreening.com: https://www.petscreening.com/. We verify vet records, vaccination history, breed, and temperament, and only approve low-risk pets. 2. Breed and Size Restrictions — no dangerous breeds or pets too large for the property or neighborhood. 3. Landlord Reference Verification— We contact previous landlords to confirm that both the tenant and their pet maintained the property well and didn’t cause any issues.