Posted on: Sunday, January 13, 2002
Animal Companions
Program matches pet owners, landlords
| On the Web
• To advertise your "Pets Possible" rental, go to www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs, click on "Pets in Housing" and choose "Submit a Rental" from the menu on the right. • To look for vacancies in rentals where pets are possible, click on "Pets in Housing" and choose "Search for Available Rentals" from the menu. • To check on the pet policy for more than 600 condominiums, townhomes and apartments on O'ahu, click on "Pets in Housing" and choose "Pet Friendly Buildings." |
A few years ago, nearly all housing rental ads included those two dreaded words, "no pets." Pets and their people found it really difficult to find a place to live on O'ahu.
The truth is that pet owners are often ideal renters. Studies show that responsible pet owners make stable tenants who tend to live in one place longer than those with no pets.
"People who provide quality care for their pets are also likely to care for other property as well," says Cynthia Keolanui of the Hawaiian Humane Society. "Unfortunately, many O'ahu rental apartments and homes do not allow pets. ... Yet pet owners make up more than 50 percent of O'ahu's households."
Keolanui heads Pets in Housing, the Humane Society's program created to address this issue. The program works to help landlords, associations, property managers and real estate professionals identify responsible pet owners, while also suggesting workable policies that include well-mannered pets. Rental agents can likely double their potential tenant base and learn to identify responsible pet-owning, long-term renters.
The Humane Society began a "Pets Possible" free bulletin board in 1997. Property managers and landlords can call or fax their pet-friendly listing to be posted on a bulletin board in the Incoming Animals area, 24 hours a day. The listings are also accessible via the Humane Society's Web site.
"The record for renting is just three hours, from listing the unit to signing the lease," Keolanui said.
The Pets in Housing program offers many other useful materials and services. For example, landlords find the Checklist for Landlords useful in screening for responsible pet owners, and property managers use the Pet Application/Registration Form and Pet Health Report to assure themselves that the pet is in good health, well socialized and up to date on vaccinations.
The forms may be downloaded from the Web site and are also available by mail. Keolanui is available to speak at association board meetings. Call 946-2187, ext. 222, or visit the Hawaiian Humane Society Web site at www.hawaiianhumane.org to learn more.
