At HARP we understand that having furry family members can make it much harder to find good-quality affordable housing. Use our resources to find housing assistance programs, identify insurance companies that do not discriminate by breed, build a pet resume, and learn about assistance animals (Service dogs and ESAs).
Most landlords with no-pet policies don’t hate animals! They just want to protect themselves from liability and their property from damage. If you are working with an individual landlord, they are often willing to be flexible if they think that you and your pets pose minimal risk to the property.
Show your landlord that your pet will not be a problem by making sure they are up to date on vaccines and spayed or neutered (our low-cost clinic can help!), and by creating a pet resume with references – especially previous landlords! Use our Microsoft Template here or create your pet’s resume online.
It can be harder to get around breed restrictions because those are often imposed on landlords by insurance companies. Let your landlord know if your renter’s insurance policy covers liability for your dog or ask if purchasing supplemental dog bite liability insurance would make a difference.
Let your landlord know that the research says pets are good for business! According to the Pet Inclusive Housing Report, on average, residents in pet-friendly housing stay 21% longer than those in non-pet-friendly housing. This translates to residents staying about 10 additional months. In addition, 83% of owner/operators say pet-friendly vacancies are filled faster.
Fewer than 10% of all pets cause damage of any kind, and only 2% cause damage that requires a security deposit deduction. The average cost of repairs when pets do cause damage is only $210, which is more than covered by the average pet rent and fees. For more information on the benefits of pet-friendly housing check out the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative
For further assistance please contact the admissions team via our Pet Helpline at 412-345-0348 or pethelpline@humaneanimalrescue.org
This list is intended for information purposes only. All policies are subject to change and Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh does not guarantee their accuracy or endorse any of the companies listed here.
Tier 1 – No Breed or Size Restrictions
| Landlord | Location | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Costello Management | Various, mostly East End | All of the properties are pet friendly for friendly pets with a two-animal maximum. We require up-to-date rabies vaccination records (and licenses for dogs) before they can enter the property, but Costello Management does not require additional rent or deposits for pets. There are no breed or weight restrictions. However, all of the tenants are required to carry renter’s insurance, so your agent will need to be aware of any animals in your home. |
| Howard West | East End | Most of the rentals are pet-friendly, and there are no size/breed restrictions, as long as the pet is friendly and controlled. |
| Mozart | East End | They have many pet-friendly properties! There are no breed or weight restrictions; however, there is a maximum of two (2) pets allowed (cats and/or dogs). |
| Nexus Real Estate | Various – mostly Moon, East End, South Side, South Hills | Cats and dogs allowed with no breed or weight limits – monthly pet rent $35 + one-time pet fee $295 |
| Regent Square Rentals | Regent Square | The pet policy is as follows. All of the units are cat-friendly and most of the units are dog-friendly. There is no pet deposit. There is a $25 pet fee per month with a limit of 2 pets per unit. There are no breed or weight restrictions, however, they do require the tenants to insure their pets on their renter’s insurance. |
Tier 2 – Some Restrictions
| Landlord | Location | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Aion Management | South Hills, Downtown, North Hills, Aspinwall | All animals must be housebroken. No breeding of any permitted animal is allowed. Additionally, the following breeds of dogs are not permitted or any mix of these breeds of dogs where the following breeds are 50% or more in your dog and verified by veterinary report: German Shepherds Akitas, Chow Terriers or Chow breed mixes, American Bulldogs, Bull Staff or Staffordshire Terriers, Doberman/Doberman Pinschers, (mini pinschers are permitted) Rottweilers, Wolf-dog hybrid, Pit-bull terriers, Presa Canario or any variety of Canary dogs. |
| Berger Communities | Jefferson Hills, Downtown, North Hills, Monroeville | Cat and dog-friendly community. Maximum of 2 pets allowed per apartment with no weight limit. There is a one-time non-refundable pet fee of $350 for the first pet and $500 total for two pets. The monthly pet rent is $45 per pet. Breed restrictions apply. All pets must be up-to-date on all vaccines, and be spayed or neutered. |
| Birgo Realty | North Side, South Hills, Suburbs | |
| Second Avenue | Various | Number of Pets: Each home allows a maximum of three (3) pets, subject to compliance with local laws and HOA Rules and Regulations. |
| TREK development group | North Side and Downtown | |
| Walnut Capital | East End | Cats and Dogs Allowed Restrictions: Pitt Bull, German Shepard, Doberman Pincher, Chow and Rottweiler Pet Limit 2 Weight limit 100 lb, Monthly pet rent $30, One time Fee $250 |
