Like most teenagers and young adults, I wanted to move out of my parent’s house as soon as possible, but with renting an apartment, there comes limitations.

The apartment search feels never-ending. Everyone dreams of the perfect two bedroom, one bath with a good sized living room, and an amazing view where you can live with your best friend. And all of this for a little over $400 a month; then usually, you find out it’s in the worst neighborhood in all of Buffalo.

Not only is it tough to find a good place at a reasonable price on a college student budget, but most places do not allow residents to have pets.

No pets at all.

I love animals and I was looking vigorously into a beautiful teacup Chihuahua, but later found out, my options were minimal at best of having both an apartment and a dog. Maybe I am aiming too high in thinking that if I spend $500 dollars a month, I deserve something worth quality, and to live how I want.

Animal adoptions are not surging in this area, and shelters are over-crowded. Two years ago, to counter the excess of animals, the SPCA in Niagara had discounted adoption fees. They “urged local residents to relieve the animal traffic jam by rescuing some of them,” in an article in the Buffalo News in 2013.

I believe a big part of this problem is because people live in apartments, rather than owning a house. Thus, their landlord would not allow them to have an animal. Yes, animals make noise; whether it is barking or meowing. And yes, animals have fur, so they would shed on the carpet/floor/etc. But does that mean I should not even be given a choice of getting an animal?

Why not charge me more? And when I say “more”, be reasonable. All residents pay a security deposit and/or the “first and last month’s rent” when they agree on the housing contract. The deposit could stay in the landlord’s hand if the apartment is not in the same condition as when I moved in.

I fully understand the fact that animals are sometimes a bother to others and that they could damage the property that these landlords own, but limiting my option of having an animal is a tradition that should have ended by now.

Animals are a part of the family. If the adoption center allows someone to take one of their animals, and understand they can take care of the pet by them self, then landlords should be more lenient to let animals in.

Landlords should lay off their tradition of “no pets allowed,” and at least give their residents a short leash to begin with.

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