Will
beG foR
home B i g dogs get th e sh o rt e n d o f t h e s t i c k w i t h r e n ta l h o u s i n g by Erin Meyering
I
am the proud puppy parent to Biscotti, a 75-pound behemoth. He’s black lab mixed with boxer and bulldog. He’s large, in charge, and one of the most loving pups you’ll ever meet. Finding a place for my slobbery sweetheart and me is grueling. We’re looking right now, and the clock is ticking down. Renting a home or an apartment that allows a large dog is like winning the lottery. Detailing the places in Reno that actually allow large dogs just isn’t worth it. For one, if I actually knew where these mystery homes were, I wouldn’t write this article. And two, the housing market’s large and constantly changing. Apartment complex owners frequently change their pet policies, and individual landlords who offer their properties to big animals come and go like wildfire. To give you a run down, though, looking for places online looks a bit like this:
or via some depressing form letter email: “No, you and your best friend, who just happens to have four paws and fur, cannot live peacefully in our neighborhood. No, we don’t have exceptions to our policy.” And after looking for an hour, you may very well be out of options, as I’ve been many times.
» Step one, set your budget and zip code.
I understand people fear my large dog running around the second story apartment, but how is that different than an angry adult stomping about or a toddler falling down? And damage? I’m confident that Biscotti has never chewed a single shoe, let alone a chunk of the wall. Also, isn’t that why there’s generally an additional pet deposit (which I’m completely OK with, by the way)? To get around a strict pet policy can be challenging. I have a friend who actually created a puppy resume for her black lab beauty, and it worked at an apartment complex that didn’t normally allow dogs. I know what you’re thinking. That’s bloody brilliant! I’ll just write my dog’s best qualities: doesn’t bark much (Aren’t the smallest dogs the yappiest anyway?), sleeps most of the day, plays well with others, people pleaser, and so on. Then, I’ll provide an adorable, heartwarming
» Step two, narrow the search to include dogs. Take a deep breath—fingers crossed. OK, you’re in. The selection may have gone from 100 available properties to 20 but, hey, you still have options! This is so exciting. » Step three, select a specific property and, without even looking through the photos, scroll to the rental description. Often, your heart—just a second ago fluttering with optimism—drops. You see a heart-wrenching 30- or 50-pound weight limit, which your dog hasn’t qualified for since he was six-months-old. Other times, it’s simply a note asking you to call for the pet policy, which generally means the property manager has to tell you the weight limit by phone
Biscotti is a 75-pound lab mix. Finding a rental that will accept a dog of his size is a difficult task. PHOTO/ERIN MEYERING
“ I h av e a f r i e n d w h o ac t ua l ly c r e at e d a p u p py r e s u m e f o r h e r b l ac k l a b b e au t y, a n d i t wo r k e d at a n a pa r t m e n t co m p l e x t h at d i d n ’ t n o r m a l ly a l low d o g s .” photo of him. Maybe the one of him curled up on the couch with his bone, or maybe the one where it totally looks like he’s watching television. I told you. It’s brilliant. Who says no to that? Regardless of whether I try to work around restrictive policies or manage to find a diamond in the rough, it saddens me that I’m moving in a month and am having such a difficult time simply because my furry friend has a bit more junk in the trunk. The first photo I posted on social media of Biscotti was captioned, “Meet Bisco, short for Biscotti. We share a birthday, a love for food, a rebel spirit, and a heart.” Yes, it’s true that we have the same birthday but, more importantly, he really is a piece of my heart. I simply want the best for him—to find a home where he’s safe and can run, play and enjoy life. Isn’t that what we humans want, too? Ω
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