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How To Find Pet-Friendly Apartments in Indianapolis

May 22, 2020

Apartment with dog

If you have a dog or cat or are looking to bring one home soon, you’ll need to find a pet-friendly apartment in Indianapolis.  Unfortunately, “pet-friendly” can actually be unclear. However, “pet-friendly” doesn’t share the same meaning from property to property. Some pet-friendly apartment complexes may actually give you the option to own a pet, but place restrictions on breed or size. Other Indianapolis apartment complexes might even have additional accommodations for your dog like designated areas for your dog to play or free waste disposal bags.

With such dramatic differences in pet-friendly apartments in Indianapolis, what things should you look at to locate the one that perfectly fits your needs?

Start Off By Looking At The Complex’s Pet Policy

Family walking with their dog on neighborhood trail

A complex is only as friendly to dogs and cats as the pet policy. The policy outlines the guidelines you must follow concerning pet ownership. Some policies are open-ended and permit you to keep any pet you’d like. Some don’t allow certain the breeds of dogs. Others might put limitations on the size and number of pets. And then some policies ban dogs entirely and only let you have housebound cats or small animals such as hamsters.

Very few apartments restrict cat breeds. It’s more common to have a pet policy that limits just how many animals are allowed in a single household. There also may be increased charges associated with your animals, like more expensive rent or cleaning costs when you move out, or a non-returnable pet deposit due at move-in.

A pet policy with a lot of conditions doesn’t mean that the community isn’t friendly to pets—as long as you fit within the guidelines. But if you have a dog such as a Great Dane, or are parents to a litter of newborn kittens, you should definitely review the pet policy before getting invested in the complex.

Check The Pet Amenities On Your Tour

Picture of dog park in our Indianapolis apartment community

Just as you would investigate the gym and pool on your apartment tour, be sure to look at the accommodations for pets. Dedicated areas for your dog to play give your pup the chance to run off some steam and give you a place where they can socialize. Walking stations with bags for waste disposal, garbage cans, and communal water bowls keep the community clean. Some communities even offer pet playdates or grooming discounts for furry four-legged residents!

Even though these amenities for pets look great on paper, the measure of their friendliness to pets is how well they’re cared for. If the dog park is overflowing with weeds or brambles, then it’s more or less unusable. Communities that welcome pets ensure that dog poop bags are consistently in stock and that the trash cans don’t overflow. Basically, when you set up your tour of the complex in Indianapolis, be sure to notice whether the pet amenities are maintained as well as the ones for the human residents.

Take A Look At Reviews To Discover Pet-Friendly Attitudes

If you can’t determine whether a complex is friendly to pets or not, be sure to take a look at reviews on the Indianapolis apartment complex. Many apartment residents view their fur-babies as a significant part of the family and like to share stories about their experiences. You might learn that maintenance comes prepared with dog treats to pass out when making a service call to your apartment. Or that the complex’s office organizes a pet adoption day with the local humane society. You most likely can chalk those up in the pet-friendly category.

Reviews will also be able to tell you of the properties that refuse to give back deposits at move-out because of cleaning costs, or those who demand an inordinate amount of fees for pets. Just try not to let one unflattering opinion affect your decision, but if you notice a whole slew of displeased dog or cat owners, then you may want to look at another property.

Riverview Apartments Would Be A Great New Place In Indianapolis For Both You And Your Dog Or Cat

When you’re searching for a pet-friendly apartment in Indianapolis, make sure to consider Riverview Apartments. We’d love to to have you visit the perfect place where you and your pet can call home. Just call at 317-751-4053 or click on the schedule a tour button.  We also have virtual tours! If youare not able to come in for a visit, take a look at our virtual tours.