Pet ownership is on the rise in the United States, with 70% of the renters having dogs. Moreover, the recent stats show over 84 million pets taking up residence in the U.S. As dog ownership grows, the need for pet waste management also increases within apartment communities.
Damages of Not Managing Pet Waste
From stains on flooring and scratches on furniture, to poop in pathways and odor in rooms, pets can cause significant damage to your assets and inflict undue stress on you. The pet waste build-up around an apartment exterior not only ruins the curb appeal but also affects the home value drastically.
In addition, there is no assurance whether a resident will manage their pet waste at your property or not. Chances are, you may need to implement an effective pet waste management plan.
If you are a rental property owner, you have to pay special attention to this issue. Here is where the mismanagement of pet waste can hurt you:
1. Scaring Away Potential Renters
Curb appeal matters tremendously in making your property rentable. If your pet waste management is poor, you could scare away potential renters. To make matters worse, a foul smell will welcome them even if they ignore the unpleasant sight and dare to walk into the property. As a result, owners of the apartment could lose business.
2. Annoying Existing Residents
While new prospects have their place, you cannot ignore your existing residents. You can’t force them to love pets or ignore the pet waste. If they do not have pets, they are likely to complain about pet waste or any other nuisance caused it i.e. foul odor in the building.
3. Ruining the Landscaping
An effective pet waste management plan usually includes multifaceted tactics and strategies, which makes managing pet waste quite challenging for rental property owners and property managers. However, taking some crucial steps can help you prevent scaring away from interested rental applicants.
Ways to Manage Pet Waste
An effective pet waste management plan usually includes multifaceted tactics and strategies, which makes managing pet waste quite challenging for rental property owners and property managers. However, taking some crucial steps can help you prevent scaring away from interested rental applicants.
1. Schedule Common Area Cleanings
Regular cleaning of the common areas of the property will end you up well on your way to develop an effective dog waste management plan. The wayward pet waste often leads many non-pet owning renters to cause complaints. Common area cleanings, involving scooping up the pet waste will help prevent renters from making complaints. Depending on the scope and type of community, cleaning common zones may need plenty of efforts, requiring your property management team to walk the entire grounds.
2. Install Pet Waste Stations
Installing pet waste stations is the best way for owner clients to decrease dog poop issues. In return, it will help the residents meet the community’s standards. Furthermore, introducing and maintaining pet waste stations will encourage the residents to pick up and dispose of the waste properly. Besides, non-pet property owners will not have any complain against pet waste.
However, when it comes to installing the stations, you will have to choose any one of the three pet waste station types- dispenser station, economy station, and premium station. In addition, choosing the right spots for installing stations is imperative. Note that the ultimate goal is to install at places from where dog walkers can easily pick up the bag and dispose of the waste properly.
3. Implement the Most Effective Pet Waste Management Strategy
Drafting and executing a comprehensive pet waste management plan can be a daunting task since owner clients have to deal with a plethora of property management chores. Therefore, the best way to manage pet waste properly is to use Pet Screening. It will provide you with background checks for dogs and other pets in rental housing. It can even help you decide if you should allow pets before the residents move in!
In a nutshell, allowing residents with pets into your property can be risky. However, by scheduling frequent cleanings, installing pet poo bag stations, and considering pet management options like Pet Screening can help you find peace with your pet-loving residents.
How Do You Manage The Pets in your Area?
Let us know in the comments!
