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RENTERS WITH PETS ARE BETTER TENNANTS

Companion Animals Renters Program (US)
SOURCE: FIREPAW
Millions of companion animals are abandoned by their family members
every year. Many of these innocent victims never get adopted and are
senselessly euthanized. One of the leading reasons people abandon
their companion animals is related to the limited rental housing
options available to people with animals.

In an effort to redress the shortage of pet-friendly rental housing--
thereby reducing the amount of abandoned and euthanized companion
animals--FIREPAW is pleased to announce the Companion Animal Renters
Program. This is a multi-level program comprised of (1) a national
research study of landlords and pet-friendly rentals (the Companion
Animal Renters Study--CARS] and (2) a unique, applied three-prong
program to encourage and assist rental property owners to offer pet-
friendly housing. The customized landlords program is tailored to
meet the unique needs of all types of rental properties--from single
unit buildings to large complexes. In conjunction with the program
for landlords FIREPAW has also developed an information and resource
packet for tenants: "How to Find, Keep and Enjoy a Pet-Friendly
Rental".

Anecdotal evidence and findings from pilot study interviews indicates
that tenants with animals mean good business for rental property
owners. To begin with, offering pet-friendly rentals doubles a
landlord's tenant pool. Additionally, with the right conditions
tenants with animals tend to stay longer (that means less turn-over,
and fewer costs and hassles), be more loyal, have less complaints,
and have stronger bonds within their rental community. Dr. Pamela
Frank, co-researcher on the national landlords and pets study and
developer of the Companion Animal Renters Program said, "An
increasing amount of savvy landlords already know that pet-friendly
rentals can mean good business. One of FIREPAW's goals with the
national study and the three-prong landlords program is to get the
word out to many more rental property owners about the economic
advantages and the overall attractiveness of renting to tenants with
animals."

While they are hoping for donations to help defray some of the costs,
the Companion Animals Renters Program is free to rental property
owners and managers. The same goes for renters with the Tenants
Information Packet. FIREPAW is a charitable, nonprofit organization
and donations are tax-deductible. For more information contact
FIREPAW, Inc., 153 N. Allen, Albany, NY, 12206 at 518-438-5939,
email: firepaw@earthlink.net or visit their web site at:
http://www.firepaw.org.