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How To Find Pet-Friendly Apartments in Carmel

May 22, 2020

Apartment with dog

If you own a four-legged friend or are thinking about getting one in the near future, you’ll need to find a pet-friendly apartment in Carmel.  Unfortunately, the term “pet-friendly” can actually be a bit misleading. However, the “pet-friendly” term is vaguely defined. Some pet-friendly communities might really give you the option to have a pet, but only with restrictions on breed or size. While other Carmel apartments offer accommodations for your dog such as dedicated parks for your dog to play or complimentary waste disposal bags.

With so many differences in pet-friendly apartments in Carmel, what criteria should you use to find the one that perfectly fits your needs?

Start Off By Reviewing The Community’s Pet Policy

Family walking with their dog on neighborhood trail

A property is only as friendly to dogs and cats as the pet policy. This policy details what restrictions you have concerning pet ownership. Some pet policies are open-ended and permit you to have any pet you’d like. Some have restrictions on the types of dogs you can keep. Others may limit the number of pets, size or weight. And some other pet policies prohibit dogs entirely and only allow you to have indoor cats or small animals such as hamsters.

Very few apartments place limits on the types of cat breeds allowed. It’s more common to have a pet policy that places restrictions on the number of pets that are permitted in a single household. There are often additional charges associated with having a pet, like higher rent or costs for cleaning when you and your pet move out, or a non-refundable pet deposit you have to pay when you move in.

An elaborate pet policy doesn’t mean that the apartment isn’t friendly to pets—just as long as you fit within the guidelines. However, if you own an animal such as a Great Dane or an American Staffordshire Terrier, or are fostering a litter of playful kittens, you should carefully read over the pet policy before falling in love with a particular property.

Check The Available Pet Amenities During Your In-Person Tour

Picture of dog park in our Carmel apartment community

Just like you would inspect the pool on your in-person tour, be sure to look at the pet amenities. Dedicated dog parks help your doggie get out some energy and make some new puppy buddies. Walking stations with disposal bags, garbage cans, and communal water bowls keep the community clean. Some complexes even have organized pet playdates or discounts on grooming for their four-legged residents!

Although these amenities seem wonderful on paper, the true measure of their pet-friendliness is just how well they’re cared for. If the place for dogs to play hasn’t been mowed and is covered in trash, then it’s more or less useless. Properties that welcome pets ensure that waste disposal bags are consistently in stock and that the cans don’t overflow. Basically, when you schedule your tour of the complex in Carmel, make sure that the amenities for pets are maintained as carefully as the ones for the human residents.

Read Multiple Reviews To See Pet-Friendly Intangibles

If you can’t decide whether an apartment is friendly to pets or not, be sure to take a look at reviews on the Carmel apartment complex. Many people who live in apartments consider their pets as part of the family and have no problem relating their personal experiences of living in a particular community. You may learn that the maintenance staff brings dog treats to pass out when making a service call to your apartment. Or that the community’s office organizes a pet adoption event with the humane society. You most likely can place those in the “friendly to pets” column.

Apartment reviews will also expose the landlords that refuse to return security deposits at move-out due to pet cleaning, or those who charge exorbitant monthly rent for pets. Just don’t let one negative review sway you, but if you see a whole mob of displeased dog or cat owners, then you may think about looking at another community.

One One Six Apartments Would Be A Great New Place In Carmel For Both You And Your Pet

When you’re researching a pet-friendly apartment in Carmel, be sure to take a look at One One Six Apartments. We’d love to to have you visit the apartment where both you and your pet can be comfortable. Give us a call at (317) 350-1941 or click the schedule a tour button.  We also have virtual apartment tours! If you can’t make it to the property, check out our virtual tours.