Pets are wonderful companions, but first you need to decide which apartment-appropriate pets are indeed a good fit in your new home.
You’ve just moved into your new apartment! You’re very excited to begin living there.
You’re also very excited to have a pet – kitten, dog, even a canary.
Whoa. Before bringing your pet to their new home, think about which pets are appropriate for apartments. Here are 3 crucial keys for deciding which pets are apartment-appropriate:
Size of Apartment
Your pet needs to fit your apartment. A super-large dog is not going to feel incredibly comfortable in an apartment. Even spacious college apartments are not really set up for dogs the size of Labradors, to say nothing of Irish setters, collies, etc. They may not have enough room to roam, let alone space to themselves. Don’t make your dog, roommates or landlord uncomfortable with a dog who takes up too much space in the bedroom or living room.
Lease
When it comes to taking your landlords preferences under consideration, be sure that the pet you’re thinking of is permitted in the lease. Most apartments allow cats, dogs and birds. However, if your beloved Furry is a gerbil, pet pig or a raccoon, check it out with the landlord first. Having a pet not allowed by the lease is grounds for being evicted.
Time
Make sure you can take care of your pet along with all your other responsibilities. If she’s a cat, you’ll have to clean the litter box and put in fresh litter. If he’s a dog, you’ll have to walk. All pets need to be fed. Your college life is going to be busy. Make sure you can give them the TLC they need. If you’re not going to have room in your schedule to do these things, the pet is not appropriate for you right now.
Have you had issues with keeping a pet in an apartment? What are some concerns that you have with keeping a pet in an apartments? Let us know about your pet experiences in the comment section below.
Equal Housing Opportunity
1 Comment. Leave new
Great, quick overview to what it takes to have a pet as a college student.
I think the size of your apartment and especially the lease are check-marks you can easily make. Is the apartment large enough and can I actually have a pet there?
For the third one, your time it becomes much harder. College life is awesome and unlike when you’re not in school, there is not much structure in a college life (at least for most people)!
Having grown up with a dog all my life I really wanted one when going off to college – however, I heard some stories about it and decided not to get one.
If you still want a furry pet in college, I really recommend smaller animals you can have in a cage. These usually require less of your time and you can tend to them whenever you have the spare time.
In that regard I would recommend animals such as a hamster or a guinea pig.