While some of the 2022 pet scene pertains to new concepts and evolving renter demands, the idea of how to responsibly implement some of the existing trends also figures to be a prominent theme. Here is a look at some of the primary storylines as the year begins.
Many renters have pets and consider them indispensable members of their families. There are now more pets in the U.S. than children, according to the American Pet Products Association. In fact, 67% of U.S. households own a pet, and Americans spent approximately $99 billion on pets last year.
Apartment operators didn’t always have a bevy of data at their fingertips to help steer them toward more intuitive property procedures. But that’s no longer an excuse, as newfound pet data has made a compelling case for operators to overhaul their policies.
When non-pet owners were asked what their top three pet-related concerns are, it wasn’t fear, aggression or biting that topped the list. It was nuisance issues such as pet waste, excessive barking and unleashed dogs that perturb them the most.
Survey data indicates that an overwhelming 71% of residents support charging higher pet fees for irresponsible pet ownership. This includes failure to pick up after pets and repeated off-leash instances. It also factors in pet misbehavior, such as incessant barking and aggressive behavior.
While proprietary data systems were favored in the past, the industry is gravitating toward a data-sharing model, knowing that the ability to integrate data enhances the capabilities of the provider and operator. And yes, pet and assistance animal information is part of the mix.
Savvy apartment operators are using technology to recover lost revenue and mitigate future losses, with some accelerating their tech rollout timelines from two years to two weeks. One often overlooked concept that can quickly drive revenue is PetTech.
Data has never been so accessible and actionable. Yet, many apartment operators continue to rely on gut feelings to drive decisions as opposed to utilizing these valuable metrics. Part of the challenge is that many operators don’t know that this data exists.
Residents bring three types of animals to apartment communities, and each has a different connotation for onsite teams. The most common, naturally, are household pets. Residents also have emotional support dogs, cats, small birds, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, and fish.
Apparently, a disconnect exists in the veterinary industry concerning the ability to share medical records. More specifically, veterinarians often have no way to access the medical records of animal patients who arrived in an emergency room after hours. The parallels to the apartment industry are well apparent.