A new national report from the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI), a Michelson Found Animals Foundation program, reveals a critical gap between perception and reality in the U.S. rental housing market. While 79% of rental properties are labeled as “pet-friendly,” less than 10% actually allow pets without breed or size restrictions.
The 2025 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report analyzes current housing policies and renter experiences across all 50 states, uncovering the financial and emotional toll restrictive pet policies place on millions of families. With updated data from Smart Apartment Data and original research conducted by PIHI, the report paints a detailed and urgent picture of the need for policy reform.
Pet-Friendly: Key Findings from the 2025 Report Include:
- Less than 10% of “pet-friendly” properties allow pets without breed or size restrictions nationally.
- Monthly pet rent is the most burdensome cost for renters across all income levels.
- LA ranks among the worst major cities for pet-friendly housing access, with just 64% of properties allowing pets—and only 5% without restrictions.
- Breed and size restrictions are among the top three barriers renters face when searching for housing with pets.
- Nearly 1 in 4 renters have declared a pet an emotional support animal (ESA) primarily to overcome housing barriers.
- Over 70% of renters report no pet-related damage to their units, debunking common myths about property risk.
- Access to pet-friendly housing varies dramatically by state, from 91% in Arizona and Texas to just 39% in Hawaii and 56% in New York.
“This report confirms what too many pet owners already know: ‘pet-friendly’ often doesn’t mean accessible,” said Ross Barker, Director of the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative.
“Breed and size restrictions, added fees, and inconsistent policies keep families in a constant state of housing insecurity. Our hope is that these findings will galvanize policymakers, housing providers, and advocates to align on common-sense reforms that recognize pets as part of the family and housing as a stabilizing force.”
To access the full report and learn more about pet-inclusive housing reform, visit: Pet-Inclusive Housing Reports.
Michelson Found Animals Foundation, founded in 2005, directly provides animal welfare services and champions pets at every point they intersect with our society. The foundation operates a range of initiatives, including grants and programs that put resources in the hands of communities in need, research that promotes pet-friendly policies, and more. Learn more at foundanimals.org.
The report also includes survey responses from over 500 U.S. pet-owning renters, with more than 80% of dog owners reporting difficulty finding rental housing with their pets. The consequences of these restrictions are profound: families are forced to rehome beloved pets, misrepresent them as ESAs, or hide them altogether, driving up shelter populations and deepening housing instability.
“At MFA, we know that one of the most impactful ways to drive change is by removing barriers to housing for pet owners, increasing access to housing, and preventing pets from unnecessarily entering shelters,” said Dr. Gary K. Michelson, Founder & Co-Chair of Michelson Found Animals. “This report shines a light on where those barriers continue to exist and how we can work together to remove them.”
