Usually yes. Zillow's analysis of more than 11 million 2024 rental listings found pet-friendly units typically rented 8 days faster, and 58% of renters now have a pet. The gain is an average, not a promise: it swings widely by city, and in Canada the rules on pets differ sharply by province.
Do pet-friendly rentals really rent faster?
On average, yes. In Zillow's July 2025 analysis, listings that allowed pets earned 9% more views, 12% more saves and 11% more shares, and were typically rented 8 days sooner than listings that did not.
The national number hides wide local swings. Pet-friendly listings in the New York metro rented 26 days faster, Tampa 16 days and Columbus 12. In Chicago, Denver, Kansas City and Sacramento the gap was zero. In Salt Lake City, Hartford and Buffalo, pet-friendly listings actually took longer to lease.
So treat 8 days as a starting assumption. Your own days on market for pet and no-pet units is the better test for your portfolio.
How many renters have pets?
Most of them. Zillow found 58% of renters have a pet, up from 46% in 2019, and almost half said they had passed on a property because it was not pet-friendly. A no-pets rule shrinks your applicant pool before anyone books a showing.
The Pets & Housing Data: 2025 Edition from Michelson Found Animals' Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative shows the renter side. 72% of renters report difficulty finding pet-friendly housing, even though 76% of housing providers describe their properties as pet-friendly. The gap is the fine print: 79% of rental properties allow pets, but fewer than 10% do so without breed or weight limits and with reasonable or no fees. 69% of pet-owning renters named fees as a key barrier, and monthly pet rent was the cost they found most burdensome.
What does allowing pets change in the leasing week?
The questions arrive earlier. When "pets allowed" comes with weight limits and a fee schedule, a pet owner's first message is rarely "is it available?" It is "will you take my 60-pound dog?" That answer decides whether the lead is worth a showing at all.
Write the policy down once and put the same version in every listing: species, number, size, any breed rules, and every deposit or fee. Answer the pet question before the tour, not at the door. Keep assistance animals separate, because they are not pets; our post on emotional support animal rules for 2026 covers what you may and may not charge.
What can you restrict or charge in Canada?
It depends on the province, and the two largest rental markets point in different directions. This is general information, not legal advice.
In British Columbia, the province's guidance says the tenancy agreement states whether pets are allowed, and landlords can limit pet size, type and number. If pets are allowed, the landlord may take one pet damage deposit of no more than half of one month's rent, however many pets there are. The province's deposits and fees page adds that landlords can't charge any other pet fee, such as a monthly pet fee. Guide and service dogs are not pets.
In Ontario, section 14 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 reads: "A provision in a tenancy agreement prohibiting the presence of animals in or about the residential complex is void." A no-pets clause in an Ontario lease does not hold, so a policy that relies on one is weaker than it looks.
So should you allow pets?
For most residential portfolios, allowing pets with clear, published limits widens the applicant pool and shortens vacancy. The extra work is mostly answering the same pet questions quickly and consistently.
That part is where LetHub helps. It answers rental inquiries in about 30 seconds by text, chat and phone, around the clock, and books the showing in the same conversation, including self-showings with bank-level ID verification. Book a demo to see it on your own listings.
Pets in rentals: FAQ
Do pet-friendly rentals rent faster?
On average, yes. Zillow's analysis of more than 11 million 2024 rental listings found pet-friendly listings typically rented 8 days faster and drew 9% more views. The gap varied widely by metro: 26 days in New York, zero in Chicago and Denver, and slower in Salt Lake City, Hartford and Buffalo.
What percentage of renters have pets?
About 58%, according to Zillow's July 2025 release, up from 46% in 2019. Almost half of renters said they had passed on a property because it did not allow pets, so a no-pets policy removes a large share of applicants before a single showing is booked.
How much can a landlord charge for a pet deposit in BC?
No more than half of one month's rent, according to the BC government. Only one pet damage deposit is allowed regardless of how many pets the tenant has, and landlords cannot charge any other pet fee, such as monthly pet rent. Guide and service dogs are not pets.
Can an Ontario landlord enforce a no-pets clause?
Not as a lease term. Section 14 of Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 says a tenancy agreement provision prohibiting animals in or about the residential complex is void. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the Act and speak with a paralegal or lawyer about a specific tenancy.
