This here pet free, what’s it all about? I hear folks talkin’, but it ain’t always clear. Some places, they say “pet free,” and I think, well, good for them, maybe they don’t like the mess, or maybe someone’s got the allergies, you know? My cousin, she can’t be near a cat without her eyes waterin’ somethin’ fierce.
Then there’s the other side of it. My neighbor, bless her heart, she’s got this little dog, smaller than a breadbox, and it’s her whole world. When she was lookin’ for a place, it was mighty hard, with all these “no pets allowed” signs. It ain’t right, I tell ya. A body needs companionship, whether it’s got two legs or four.
So, pet free means no furry friends, no feathered friends, nothin’ with scales, neither. I guess if you’re a landlord, you got your reasons. Maybe you’re worried ’bout the carpets, or the noise. Some folks, they just don’t train their animals right, and that makes it hard on everybody else.
- No dogs barkin’ all hours of the night.
- No cats scratchin’ up the furniture.
- No mess to clean up, less stinky, I suppose.
But I seen some rentals, they say “pet free,” but they really mean “money-free”. Then they will charge extra money, call it a “pet deposit,” and it’s more than a month’s rent! It’s like they’re punishin’ folks for havin’ a little critter to love. And 80% of pet owners, they already pay these “pet deposits,” that’s a lot of people!
Now, I ain’t sayin’ every place should be overrun with animals. Some places, it just ain’t practical. Like, you wouldn’t want a bunch of dogs runnin’ around where they’re shootin’ guns, would ya? That just ain’t safe for the animals. And some places need to be clean, like that hotel my daughter stayed in one time. They said “pet friendly,” meanin’ you could bring your pet, but there were still rules, and you bet your bottom dollar, there was a fee!
And there are some special animals, they help folks who are sick or feelin’ down. They ain’t just pets, they’re like medicine. Those places, they gotta let those animals in, no matter what their “pet free” rules say. It’s just the right thing to do, they treat people with disabilities.
But for most folks, it’s just about havin’ a little friend around. A dog to greet you at the door, a cat to curl up on your lap. It makes a house a home, you know? And if you’re a good tenant, and you take care of your animal, why shouldn’t you be able to have a pet? It ain’t fair to make folks choose between a roof over their head and a friend by their side.
If you own one of them rentals, maybe you can consider about the good of allowin’ pets. You can set your rules, make sure things don’t get out of hand. And maybe you can charge a little extra, just to cover your costs. But don’t make it so high that folks can’t afford it. There’s enough hardship in this world without makin’ it harder for people to have a little bit of love in their lives.
And them “no pets” signs, they just mean keep your critters out. It’s for the cleanliness, I guess, and to keep things in order. But sometimes, I think they go too far. Like that one place, they called it a “dog free zone.” Sounds like they hate dogs! Just put up a sign, tell folks to keep their dogs on a leash, and pick up after ’em. That’s all it takes, most of the time.
Some of these companies, they even rent out pets! Can you believe it? Like you’re rentin’ a car or somethin’. I don’t know about that. A pet ain’t somethin’ you just use for a while and then give back. It’s a livin’ creature, needs love and attention. It ain’t right to treat ’em like they’re just some object for rent.
I reckon pet free just means different things to different folks. Some see it as a way to keep things clean and quiet. Others see it as a way to make more money. And some folks, like my neighbor, they just see it as a big ol’ heartbreak. It ain’t easy, findin’ a place where you and your furry friend are both welcome. But I hope things change someday. I hope more places open their doors to pets, and more people understand that a little bit of animal love can make a big difference in a person’s life. Yep, a pet free world ain’t a world I wanna live in, that’s for sure.
