Pet Friendly Rentals (San Francisco: apartments, how much, houses)

[AusAsh]

Hi all,

My partner and I are moving from Australia to LA for work. Also part of our family are two large, but well trained, dogs (1 Rottweiler & 1 White Shepherd), and we're hoping to bring them along too.

In Australia it's quite difficult to find a rental property that allows a cat, let alone two large dogs. How hard would it be to find a decent rental with a fenced yard in LA? Are many landlords open to the idea of having pets in their properties, or only the minority? I'm most familar with the Silverlake area and have spotted what seems like a suitable house there for $2300/month. Any other areas you could suggest?

Also, are there any websites / agencies you could recommend that might be able to help?

[Paula Lynn]

You're best bet is to find a rental house with the dogs. But finding one with your Rott may be a problem. Good luck.

[AusAsh]

So apart from the usual problem people have with rotties (rather uncalled for if you ask me!), would you say landlords are pretty open to the idea of having dogs in their properties? Are there any special conditions such as extra bond required?

[lookingfortheperfectplace]

There are lots of rentals that allow dogs and cats. There is a pet deposit fee. (so if your dog ruins the carpet or something else) It varies how much by each landlord.
Some landlords will not rent if you have a certain breed of dog but I think that only applies to pitbulls. And L.A. has a ton of them so I doubt it applies. You should have no problem with your dogs. But do tell them that your dogs are big as some will only rent to small dogs.
Don't know of any good websites. You can try the newspaper. latimes.com dailynews.com maybe ocregister.com I'm in san Bernardino county not Los angeles county.

[gizmo980]

You should check on craigslist-dot-org... select the LA area (you can narrow down to neighborhoods too), then check the box for "dogs" in the rental classifieds. That's how I found my last two apartments! And here's another good website: http://indystar.pets911.com/petsrenting/index.php?section=11819 (broken link)
I should warn you, the Rottweiler might cause a problem for some landlords... almost every place I've looked at has "breed restrictions", and many include Rotties and/or German Shepherds on that list. My dog is part Shepherd, but he's pretty small & looks like (is) a mutt, so I just call him a terrier mix - or whatever comes to mind.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by AusAsh

So apart from the usual problem people have with rotties (rather uncalled for if you ask me!), would you say landlords are pretty open to the idea of having dogs in their properties? Are there any special conditions such as extra bond required?

Just noticed somebody else mentioned the Rottie thing.
I think you'll be able to find something in LA, since it's such a huge metro... and your budget will allow plenty of options, if you're willing to look in different areas. I don't know LA well enough to suggest anything (I'm up near San Francisco), but I'm guessing the outer suburbs would be more open to large dogs. They will usually require an extra deposit, which varies depending on the property... it can be anywhere from $250 up to $1200+ per dog. Yes, believe it or not, I recently saw an apartment that required $1200!! It's a refundable deposit, so if you keep the place in good shape, you should get it back when you move (it can be a fight sometimes). Though some places do require "pet rent", which is typically $25-100 a month. Anyway, good luck!

P.S. What are the rules about bringing a dog from Australia? Just curious, since I know England, Hawaii, and other "islands" are very strict.

[AusAsh]

Thanks heaps for your help. The websites will definately give me something to work with from over here. It seems as though it may just be a matter of being patient while looking for a house that will accept a rottweiler... and I've already decided the white shepherd will just have to 'turn into' some type of exotic crossbreed!

In regards to quarantine issues... fortunately, Australia is a rabies free zone so it's relatively easy to take our animals anywhere in the world. The real problem comes when returning. Vaccinations have to be kept up-to-date, the animal must be tested for rabies 3 months prior to returning and also placed in the national quarantine facility for a minimum of a month. It's a lengthy process, but i just can't leave them behind....

[fastfilm]

When I was a renter, I looked for small houses which remove the premise of other tennants' complaints. If landlords were reluctant, I'd draft a "caca clause" to the rental agreement, designating that I would pay for any and all damage to the property that could in any way be attributed to a dog. That usually did the trick.

I have a huge warning for you, however. Be very careful where you rent, particularly outlying areas of L.A. County. There are mandatory spay and neuter laws for all pets over 4 months of age. (To stave off useless debate, I'll mention pediatric sterilization is very, very bad for dogs' health, it's not rocket science to keep an animal from getting pregnant, and voluntary sterilization is a good thing.)

You sound like such responsible dog owners that I think you'll not have too much trouble finding small houses to rent. Good luck.

[Paula Lynn]

I've managed rental properties for several years. My theory is there are no bad dogs - just bad irresponsible owners. That said, I interview pets. I will not rent apartments to large dogs - not fair to the dog. Houses with a yard, I have absolutely no problem. Actually, I prefer larger dogs then a small ankle biter that constantly yaps all day. True to any dog that barks at the least bit of movement or sound. I charge $100/deposit for each pet, whether it be a dog or cat. (Actually cats cause more damage). I recently rented to a large German Shepard mix - best dog. Hope this helps some.

I would also check craigslist.com - alot of pet friendly places there.

Good luck on your search.

[Paula Lynn]

Also, So. Cal. has leash laws. Don't walk your dog without a leash. We also have dog runs (parks) - so the critters can run around and play. Great place to meet people.