Action for Pet-Inclusive Housing: Keeping Families Together

What is Pet-Inclusive Housing?

Housing providers will often advertise as “pet-friendly” but our research shows that this label is misleading. Restrictions on breed and weight result in the exclusion of most pets, and their families, from the rental housing market. 

“Pet-Inclusive” refers to housing that accepts pets regardless of weight and breed, acknowledging that such factors are not a predictor of personality. Diet, environment, health, training, breeding, genetics, management, and socialization all influence behavior.

Many insurance companies use the outdated practice of prohibited dog breed lists to deny or cancel coverage.  The reality remains that there is no actuarial data supporting correlation between breed and bite risk. DNA studies show that visual identification of a dog’s breed based on physical features is equally unreliable. 11 States have laws or regulations prohibiting insurance companies from this sort of discrimination. These policy changes remove the most common barrier facing pet families and can open further options when navigating competitive rental housing markets.