At the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative, we believe that data drives change. This page is home to our latest research and reports that explore the challenges renters with pets face and the solutions that can help close the gap between pet-friendly and truly pet-inclusive housing. From national data to strategic outlooks, these reports equip legislative stakeholders, housing providers, and advocates with the information they need to create more inclusive communities for people and their pets.

Pets & Housing Data 2025 Edition

The Pets & Housing Data: 2025 Edition report, produced by Michelson Found Animals’ Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative, offers a comprehensive national snapshot to date of the challenges and disparities pet-owning renters face – and the policy opportunities that lie ahead. Drawing from proprietary research and market-wide housing data, this report provides a vital evidence base for advancing housing equity for people with pets.

Key Findings

State-by-State Pet Access Varies: Access to pet-friendly rental housing ranges dramatically, from just 39% of properties in Hawaii to 91% in Texas and Arizona, revealing significant geographic disparities.

Renters Face a Policy Mismatch: 72% of renters report difficulty finding pet-friendly housing, and 59% say it’s unaffordable, despite 76% of housing providers identifying their properties as pet-friendly.

The “Pet-Friendly” Illusion: While 79% of rental properties claim to allow pets, fewer than 10% qualify as pet-inclusive, with no breed or weight restrictions.

Pet-Related Housing Barriers Often Force Impossible Choices: More than 80% of dog owners reported difficulty securing housing, leading many to rehome their pets, misclassify them as emotional support animals, or hide them – outcomes that underscore the urgent need for more pet-inclusive rental policies.

Pet-Related Fees Are the Top Barrier: Across all income levels, monthly pet rent is cited as the most burdensome cost. Overall, 69% of pet-owning renters report fees as a key barrier to securing housing.

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Trends Reflect Housing Gaps: 41% of ESA designations were at least partly motivated by housing needs, and nearly half of ESA owners cited size or breed restrictions as their primary reason.

Implications

The data confirms what advocates and renters have long known: current pet policies fall far short of what modern renters need. Reframing pet-friendly housing to mean pet-inclusive housing – with fewer restrictions and more compassion – represents not only a moral imperative, but also an economic and operational opportunity for housing providers.

This report serves as a resource for legislative stakeholders, advocates, and industry leaders seeking to close the gap between rental housing access and pet ownership reality in the United States.

Pets in Rental Housing 2025 Outlook

As the U.S. rental market continues to evolve, the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative – led by Michelson Found Animals – remains committed to reimagining rental housing through a lens of inclusivity for pets and their people. This 2025 Outlook report presents compelling data and strategic insights highlighting the urgent need – and real opportunity – to modernize pet policies across the rental housing industry.

Key Findings

Pet-Inclusive Demand Is Rising: With 2 in 3 U.S. households owning pets and 92% of renters viewing pets as family, rental housing must adapt. Yet only 8% of units are free of all pet-related restrictions.

“Pet-Friendly” Isn’t Enough: While most properties allow pets, most still impose breed and weight restrictions that create substantial barriers for renters. As page 5’s infographic shows, no major U.S. market exceeds 11% in pet-inclusive offerings.

Policy Gaps Create Tough Choices: Among surveyed dog owners, 22% had to rehome their pets, and 12% hid them to secure housing. Financial burdens like nonrefundable fees and monthly pet rent top the list of challenges.

Large Operators Can Lead: More than 90% of properties managed by the top 50 firms in the NMHC already allow pets. This positions them to set the standard for removing outdated restrictions and building resident loyalty.

Inclusive Policies Benefit All: Properties that ease pet restrictions see renters stay up to 21% longer. Beyond retention and reduced turnover costs, these policies improve resident satisfaction and ease strain on shelters by preventing pet relinquishment.

The Path Forward

The 2025 Outlook encourages property owners and operators to adopt pet-inclusive practices using tools like the Pet-Inclusive Scorecard, free policy improvement resources, and recognition opportunities through the Pets & Housing Awards. Simple changes – eliminating breed/weight restrictions, reducing fees, and embracing pets as family – can transform both business outcomes and renter well-being.

Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative Impact 2024

In 2024, the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI), a program of Michelson Found Animals, deepened its national impact by championing housing policies that recognize pets as essential members of the family. With a mission to keep people and pets together, PIHI advanced practical tools, strategic partnerships, and research that helped drive both policy change and industry engagement.

This year’s work centered on four core objectives:

Thought Leadership: PIHI solidified its role as the leading voice, distinguishing pet-friendly from pet-inclusive housing. Through targeted content, digital engagement, and educational resources, PIHI reached over 48,000 individuals and recorded more than 14,000 unique newsletter opens, reinforcing its role as a trusted source on pets and housing.

Expanding Pet-Inclusive Housing: Through tools like the Pet-Inclusive Scorecard and initiatives like the Pets & Housing Awards, PIHI motivated rental housing providers to reassess policies and remove barriers to pet ownership. Data from national and local markets confirmed a stark gap – while 80% of properties allow pets, fewer than 10% eliminate breed and weight restrictions.

Legislative Advocacy: In collaboration with the Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP), PIHI supported balanced legislation at all levels of government, ensuring policies align with both housing provider realities and pet family needs.

Empowering Animal Welfare Outreach: PIHI created six new resources for animal welfare organizations and delivered ten educational presentations nationwide. These efforts helped advocates engage with rental housing providers more intentionally and amplify calls for inclusive housing practices.

2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report

The 2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Report highlights the importance of pet-inclusive rental housing. This report provides data and market-based solutions that benefit all – housing providers, residents, and pets. 

The Pet-Inclusive Housing Report demonstrates that significant restrictions on pets in rental housing present hurdles for pet owners. It also shows that the majority of rental housing providers love pets.

Increasing the availability of pet-inclusive housing can help more families find homes. Bridging the gap from just pet-friendly to truly pet-inclusive can help millions of animals find new homes over time. The report also supports that rental housing providers are more likely to see economic benefit through pet-inclusive policies.

Michelson Found Animals Foundation and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) look forward to sharing the Pet-Inclusive Housing Report to create more pet-inclusive housing for healthier, more connected communities.