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A PetScreening report says 81% of surveyed U.S. rental operators have seen an increase in pet-owning tenants. Operators reported pet-related damage averaging $567 per affected unit, while also citing more rental applications, higher resident satisfaction and stronger lease renewals as benefits of allowing pets.
Four in five U.S. rental operators surveyed by pet policy and screening platform PetScreening said the number of pet-owning tenants in their properties has increased. The company’s State of Pets in Rental Housing report, based on responses from 673 property management and leasing professionals, also points to a business trade-off: operators report pet-related repair costs, but say welcoming pets can attract applications and support lease renewals.
PetScreening reported that 43% of renters have pets in 2026, according to the housing professionals it surveyed. That figure is lower than a separate national estimate cited in the report: the American Pet Products Association says 71% of U.S. households own at least one pet. These figures describe different populations and measures—renters versus all households—and should not be read as a direct comparison of the same group.
The report says the difference may point to pets that are unauthorized or not disclosed to rental operators. PetScreening argues that incomplete records can leave operators without a reliable view of pet-related fees and risks. The survey findings do not establish how many pets are unreported, however, or whether the gap results from reporting practices, differences in the populations measured, or other factors.
Operators reported both costs and potential advantages. On average, 31.5% of units experience pet-related damage, with repair costs averaging $567 per affected unit, the report says. The survey also found that 40.8% of respondents said allowing pets increases resident applications, 26.9% cited higher renter satisfaction and 23.4% reported more lease renewals. These are operators’ reported observations; the supplied material does not establish that pet-friendly policies alone caused those outcomes.
Pet Policies Affect Leasing and Costs
The findings give landlords and property managers a view of the trade-offs they may face as more tenants keep pets. Damage and turnover expenses can add to the cost of maintaining units, while operators in the survey also connected pet-friendly policies with more applications and renewals. The figures may help owners consider how their rules, fees and amenities fit their buildings and tenant demand, but they do not show that one policy will produce the same results across properties.
The reported gap between renter and household pet-ownership figures also puts attention on how operators collect information. If pets are not disclosed or documented, managers may have less ability to plan for maintenance or apply pet-related charges consistently. PetScreening presents tracking as a way to address that issue, though its report does not quantify the financial effect of underreporting or independently verify the number of undisclosed animals.
The survey also suggests that many policies focus on limits and charges rather than services. That matters for renters weighing housing options: pet rules can affect whether a home is available to them, what costs they face, and what facilities they can use. The results describe reported practices among respondents, not every rental operator in the country.
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Rules, Fees and Pet Amenities
Among surveyed operators, the most common pet-related amenities were waste stations, reported by 45.4%, and pet parks, reported by 32%. Other offerings were less widespread: 24.9% said they provide dog-walking services, while 11.8% host pet-focused events. Grooming or spa services were reported by 7.1%, and pet water stations by 4.6%. Fewer than 1% said they offer onsite boarding or pet daycare.
Policy approaches in the report were more commonly based on restrictions. Limits on the number of pets were reported by 78.4% of respondents, community guidelines by 70.6%, breed restrictions by 66.7% and weight limits by 59.8%. Formal screening or interview processes were less common, at 27.4%. The report says 49% require rabies vaccination records and 19.6% require pets to be spayed or neutered.
Fees were also common: 68.6% charge pet rent, and 50.9% collect a non-refundable pet deposit. A refundable deposit was reported by 23.5%. These percentages reflect respondents’ reported practices and do not specify whether operators used more than one policy or amenity.
“81% of operators nationwide reported an increase in pet-owning tenants.”
— PetScreening’s State of Pets in Rental Housing report
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Survey Limits and Reporting Gaps
The supplied report summary does not give the survey’s field dates, how respondents were recruited, the geographic or property-type breakdown, or a margin of error. It is therefore unclear how closely the 673 respondents represent all U.S. rental operators. The report’s 43% renter figure and APPA’s 71% household estimate also use different populations, and the source does not provide enough detail to identify the causes of the gap.
Other details remain unsettled: the report summary does not explain how operators identified pet-related damage, whether repair costs were independently verified, or how damage rates vary by property. It also does not provide evidence that allowing pets directly led to more applications or renewals. The results should be understood as survey responses and reported averages, not a national audit or a causal study.
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How Operators Apply the Findings
The report does not announce a new regulation, policy deadline or follow-up study. For operators, the next practical steps may include reviewing how pets are disclosed and recorded, checking whether fees and screening practices match lease rules, and weighing maintenance costs against reported leasing benefits. Any policy changes would depend on local law, lease terms and each property’s needs.
Readers seeking a fuller picture should look for the report’s complete methodology and any later data that break results down by region, property type or operator size. Such details could help establish whether the reported increase and costs are consistent across the rental market. No further findings or timetable are included in the supplied source material.
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Key Questions
How many rental operators reported more pet-owning tenants?
81% of surveyed operators said pet-owning tenants had increased at their properties, according to PetScreening’s report.
How many renters have pets, according to the report?
The report says 43% of renters have pets in 2026, based on its survey of property management and leasing professionals. It does not describe this figure as a direct count of renters.
What pet-related repair costs did operators report?
The report says 31.5% of units experience pet-related damage, with average repairs of $567 per affected unit. It does not say that every rental unit incurs this cost.
What benefits did operators associate with allowing pets?
Respondents cited more rental applications (40.8%), higher renter satisfaction (26.9%) and increased lease renewals (23.4%). These are reported associations, not proof that pet-friendly policies caused the outcomes.
Does the report show how many pets are undisclosed?
No. PetScreening says the difference between the renter and household estimates may suggest unauthorized or underreported pets, but the supplied findings do not quantify how many pets are undisclosed or establish the reason for the gap.
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