Ohio introduces new bill to help pets, pet parents and landlords

Over a hundred people and pets take part in the pet parade Saturday morning during the 2023 Mush, Music & Mutts Festival in Uptown Shelby.
Over a hundred people and pets take part in the pet parade Saturday morning during the 2023 Mush, Music & Mutts Festival in Uptown Shelby.

Looking for an apartment is tough enough but including your pets in the decision can make things tougher. Thankfully, a recent bill could be changing the game in Ohio.

While the bill is being considered by Ohio lawmakers at the moment, it does have the potential to change things for renters and landlords. Proposed by representatives Sharon Ray and Juanita Brent, the bill is a win-win for all.

Pet-friendly housing isn’t easy to find yet this bill will offer a $750 tax credit for being pet-friendly. This can feature a maximum of 10 units a year and the landlords wouldn’t be allowed to charge more for a pet fee. Instead, it would welcome dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes.

This doesn’t just help landlords who are looking for a tax break but also helps those who are looking for a pet-friendly place to live.

A new Ohio bill could change the game for pet-friendly housing.

Given how much the cost of housing and rent has gone up, people aren’t able to take care of everything. With that, their pets can tend to fall to the wayside or be surrendered to a shelter. Of course, the bill will help combat that issue and hopefully, allow more people to adopt.

While $750 doesn’t seem like much, it can help a landlord make an easy decision and maybe get something more. Ultimately, it comes down to what they’re willing to do but for our pets, most of us will do almost anything. Honestly, I know it would be hard to give up my dogs or cats so it’s an impossible choice.

At this point, it’s unclear if it will move forward but this is something a lot of us who have pets can get behind. Hopefully, we’ll see other states take a page from Ohio’s book and give them an option. Everyone likes to feel like they’re at home and that includes your pets.