So you bought a vacation home or condo and are now trying to decide whether to allow pets. Ask yourself these questions:

• Will I get more bookings if I allow pets in my vacation home?
• Will tenants not want to rent my vacation home because I allow pets in my home?
• Do Pets Really Hurt Vacation Rentals?
• If I say no pets are allowed, can I really enforce that rule?
• What kind of pets should I allow if I decide to allow them?
• How many pets should I allow?
• Am I trying to rent my vacation home to guests with pet allergies?
• If I decide to allow pets, what should I do to minimize the associated risks?
• After all, should I allow pets?

Here are my tips and advice based on 8 years of experience and owning 7 vacation rentals.

Will I get more bookings if I allow pets in my vacation home?

Our experience has been that allowing pets has increased our rents. If you reject pets, you will lose rentals for anyone who wants to vacation with their pet. It becomes a matter of balancing the number of rentals lost due to pet rejection against the number of rentals lost due to renters with allergies. They may not be willing to stay if you occasionally have pets in your rental home. However, please note that we have rules regarding the type of pet, the number of pets, and the activity of the pets. We also have tenants who bring pets and have them sign a pet policy.

Will tenants not want to rent my home because I allow pets in my vacation home?

Some renters will already have in mind that pet-friendly vacation rentals are dirty, smelly, and run-down. You won’t be able to change your mind, so don’t bother trying. These tenants would probably be problem tenants anyway. Some renters with allergies will avoid your home as well, but in our experience, there are fewer of these than pet owners.

Do Pets Really Hurt Vacation Rentals?

While some pets do, the vast majority do not harm vacation rentals. You wouldn’t even know that a pet has ever been there. Most pet owners who travel with their pets have clean, well-kept homes. They expect their pets to behave well in their own home. Y during the holidays. These types of tenants will always ask if they can bring their pet into their home. These are not the tenants and pets you need to worry about. Pets to watch out for are those that are not used to traveling or even being indoors.

Unfortunately, there are some tenants who rarely admit that they are bringing a pet because they anticipate damage or at least a disaster. Protecting yourself with a good pet policy is more effective than simply banning pets. Banning them won’t ensure that tenants won’t bring them in anyway and try to sneak in.

If I say no pets are allowed, can I really enforce that rule?

We do not go straight out and say that pets are allowed in our vacation homes, rather we ask tenants to inquire about pets. We found this to work very well. Tenants will ask us about pets and we can find out what kind of pet they want to bring, etc. We can then inform them of our pet policy and ask them to sign the pet policy. I use the pet policy found at www.GoRentPro.com. This pet policy has everything I needed and could also be modified to suit my individual needs.

You can also request an additional security deposit for tenants who bring pets. Our experience has been that tenants who told us about their pets were not the problem, but tenants who tried to sneak in their pets are the problem.

If you know in advance that certain tenants will have pets in your vacation home, you can inform your property management. They can check for any problems while the tenants are there, and also check more closely for evidence of damage after the tenants leave. Please inform your property management about the pets that will be staying in your vacation home. Insist that your management staff immediately report any unauthorized pets in your home.

What type of pets should I allow?

Most renters travel with a small dog or cat. Very few travel with a large dog because a large dog takes up a lot of space in a vehicle and that space is usually used for people and luggage. Renters traveling with cats and dogs will generally keep them in pet cages. Most renters don’t want a wayward pet to accompany them on vacation.

How many pets should I allow?

The number of pets you allow in your vacation rentals will depend on the size of your rental. If your home is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath vacation home and the guest wants to bring 4 dogs, I think that’s a bit too much. Really, it will be up to you to determine if you will allow any exceptions, but do so only if you feel very comfortable.

After all, should I allow pets?

In most cases, it is more profitable to allow pets than to reject them. Most of the people who tell you they are bringing a pet are never a problem. Often when they try to hide a pet, you have problems. It is generally best to allow pets and insist on full disclosure. Have tenants sign the pet policy to encourage them to be responsible and have a security deposit to ensure accountability.

When all is said and done, I travel with my own pet. If you are traveling with your pet, you know how difficult it can sometimes be to find suitable accommodation for both your family and your pet. As a pet owner and rental home owner who is sympathetic to this dilemma, I allow pets in my vacation home.