Trends and data in the 2026 state of pet rentals report shows pet ownership and rental cooperation are rising but challenges exist.
A new survey released by PetScreening reports that 81% of rental housing operators report growth in pet ownership, and 68% now consider themselves “pet-friendly,” which means a variety of things ranging from more pets being allowed to more pet-focused amenities onsite.
The 2026 State of Pets in Rental Housing Report, based on feedback from 673 property managers and leasing professionals primarily within the multifamily and single-family sectors, details the effects of pet-inclusivity in the modern rental-housing world.
While 71% of U.S. households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association, PetScreening data shows that only 43% of renters report owning one. This figure is nearly 30 percentage points lower than the pet ownership rate reported by housing operators, suggesting that many pets in rentals may be unauthorized or underreported. The report aims to assess reasons for the disparity and ways operators can resolve related challenges.
While the rates of pet ownership in rentals continues to rise, operational challenges persist, as operators report pet damage and unauthorized pets are among the primary issues they face at their properties.
“Despite any operational challenges, the survey underscores the clear benefits of welcoming pets at rental communities,” said John Bradford, founder and CEO of PetScreening. “When pet strategies are optimized to embrace pet-inclusivity and reflect the desires of the modern renter, the advantages become more pronounced in the form of a wider resident pool, stronger retention and increased revenue. While the industry still can make significant headway, property managers are doing a commendable job of bridging the gap.”
Some of the gap between the overall U.S. pet ownership rate and the percentage of renters who say they own pets may be attributable to unauthorized and underreported pets onsite. This highlights the importance of accurate tracking, which can help operators collect their rightful pet-related revenue and avoid potential risks associated with unauthorized pets.
Digging into the Data: Popular Amenities, Common Restrictions
The survey also noted that pets are an increasingly key driver in renter decision-making, as renter search data from Apartments.com showed that more than half of renters utilizing pet filters search for dog-friendly communities. The most cited pet amenities offered by survey respondents included pet waste stations (45%) and pet parks (35%)—functional offerings that were significantly more prevalent than experiential features such as dog-walking services (24.9%) or pet-focused events (11.2%).
While some of the industry has shed blanket restrictions in favor of evaluating pets and their owners on an individual basis, most properties continue to have significant restrictions in place. Pet limits per household was the most cited by respondents (78.4%), while other traditional restrictions such as breed (66.7%) and weight limits (59.8%) continue to be prevalent as well.
Metrics specific to PetScreening included that the company’s clients experienced a 30.7% increase in revenue after implementing the platform, which underscored the impact of pet-friendly policies paired with formal tracking and screening tools. Additionally, PetScreening says its customers saved approximately 1.3 million administrative and legal hours reviewing assistance-animal accommodation requests, instead relying on the platform’s expertise, which also helped to reduce risk of regulatory violations and potential litigation.
The entire report can be accessed here.
About PetScreening:
PetScreening is a leading platform for managing pets and assistance animals. Offered at no cost to housing providers, the platform standardizes pet-risk assessment with digital pet profiles and FIDO Scores®, streamlines assistanc- animal reviews in compliance with HUD and Fair Housing guidelines, and helps identify unauthorized pets, all while supporting more pet-inclusive communities. Learn more at petscreening.com.
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