US: pet welfare plays a significant role in home renovation decisions

A new survey by American online home remodeling and design platform Houzz reveals that nearly half (48%) of US pet owners prioritize their pets when upgrading their homes.

The Pets & the Home Study 2024 polled 1,165 Americans and showed that many homeowners consider pet-friendly products and materials (34%) and incorporate pet-specific features like beds and feeding stations (22%) into their home designs.

Additionally, 1 in 10 respondents added custom-built features for their pets, with feeding stations (39%) and enclosures (34%) ranking as the most popular. Other upgrades included sleeping or relaxation areas for their furry friends (21%), grooming stations, play structures and litter boxes (18% each).

Among those surveyed, 44% had a single pet, while 26% had 3 or more animals. Dogs were the most popular (83%), followed by cats (33%), birds (3%) and fish (3%).

Special treatment

Nearly 60% of pet owners made special arrangements for their pets during renovations, with 43% keeping pets confined within reserved spaces in their homes and 6% temporarily moving them out.

Over 4 out of 5 homeowners who included renovations for their pets hired professionals (86%). Flooring upgrades were the most common project (51%), followed by outdoor landscaping (34%), wall or baseboard upgrades (34%) and door frame replacements (31%).

Household items frequently replaced by pet owners include carpets and rugs (35%), furniture (17%) and bedding (15%).

Rental market overview

American real estate marketplace Zillow recently reported that house listings featuring turfed pet areas saw a 76% increase in daily saves and a 91% rise in shares on its website between June 2023 and May 2024. This data is based on an analysis of 5.6 million listings nationwide.

According to an analysis by American moving company HireAHelper, 73.2% of Zillow’s rental listings in 2024 allow small dogs, large dogs or cats.

Colorado is the most pet-friendly state, with 86.3% of listings being pet-friendly. This is followed by Minnesota (84.8%) and North Carolina (83.2%). Hawaii, Rhode Island and Alaska were the least pet-friendly states, with just 33.2%, 49.3% and 50.2%, respectively.

According to another survey conducted by Zillow and pet care firm BARK earlier this year, Dallas (79%), Austin (77%) and San Antonio (75%) emerged as the most pet-friendly cities.