The high-pitched bark of a Pyrenees-mix and the squeal of a golden retriever can be heard outside the walls of a small white house on the Florida Mesa near Durango-La Plata County Airport. As Hector Cruz rolls up his dirt driveway and turns off his truck engine, his two dogs cannot contain their excitement. They haven’t seen their dad since he left for work early in the morning.
Cruz, a hair stylist at Euphoria Salon in Durango, got his dog, Hannah, from a friend in 2016 and more recently adopted Kiko from the La Plata County Humane Society. Similar to most pet owners, Cruz’s dogs have a huge impact on his life.
“Getting Hannah and Kiko really changed my life in a positive way,” he said. “It taught me to be more accountable and less selfish. I love my dogs for that.”
While his furry friends have added joy to his life, the Durango rental market has not been kind to them.
The challenges people face when looking to rent in Durango are daunting. The average cost to rent a one-bedroom property is $1,818 per month, and working salaries seldom meet that demand. But when pets are part of the equation, the search to find affordable housing becomes even more strenuous.
After living with friends and roommates for multiple years, Cruz was eager to rent his own place with a backyard for his dog. His search for housing did not go as planned, however, and most landlords wouldn’t consider his applications because he owned a pet.
“You know, the majority of people in Durango call themselves dog lovers, but when it comes to renting, no one wants to rent to people who have animals,” Cruz said.
Almost all landlords demand costly pet fees including nonrefundable deposits that range from $200 to $1,000 per pet and additional monthly rent averaging at about $45 per animal. On one occasion, a landlord told Cruz he would have to pay a $1,200 nonrefundable deposit in addition to his $1,200 security deposit just because he had a pet. Cruz said often, landlords would offer lower rent prices as an incentive to live without his dog.
“I was never going to give up Hannah. No matter what, I was going to have my dog with me,” he said.
While surrendering a pet is a last resort, the struggle to find pet-friendly rental properties in La Plata County and expensive pet fees leave many people with no other option. Forty percent to 50% of the animals taken in by the La Plata County Humane Society are surrendered pets. Chris Nelson, director of animal services at the Humane Society, said the most common reason for surrendering animals is inability to find housing and financial problems.
After searching for more than two years for a pet-friendly rental with a backyard, Cruz eventually landed a property near the airport. He enjoys having more space for Hannah and Kiko, but his battle to find a pet-friendly rental was stressful and forced him to move farther away from his business on Florida Road in Durango.
Shelly Townsend, a longtime resident of Durango, has also faced difficulty helping her 21-year-old daughter find a pet-friendly home. Her daughter has a pit bull named Hendrix, and she has experienced limited housing options since adopting him from the Humane Society three years ago. Although he is a registered emotional support animal, she is denied by most landlords.
“If she looks at 20 places, 19 of them will flat out say no,” Townsend said. “You would think an emotional support animal would sort of bridge the discrepancy and allow the person to rent with that animal, but it doesn’t matter.”
Townsend said she respects and understands individual property rights, however, she wishes landlords would consider the effect pet fees and limitations have on working people. Her daughter has expanded her search for housing to Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec because of the competitive and expensive nature of Durango’s market.
“Being a single professional person without a pet certainly opens up a world of rental properties that otherwise are not be accessible,” Townsend said. “I mean, everyone in Durango has a pet, but no one can live with it. It’s very difficult.”
Giving up Hendrix would be a last option for Townsend’s daughter, but it may be her only option. If her daughter is able to find a pet-friendly place in the Durango area, 75% of her paycheck would be set aside for rent, while the rest would go toward a car payment.
“If she is going to commute as far as Farmington or Aztec, she needs a reliable vehicle, and then that’s the rest of her paycheck and then all the sudden she doesn’t have money for groceries,” Townsend said. “Her pay working at a respectable company full time just doesn’t match up with the cost of living, especially with a pet.”
The La Plata County Humane Society’s main priority is to ensure every animal leaving the facility goes to a safe, permanent home. To do that, the adoption application asks prospective pet owners whether they own or rent a home. The Humane Society must ask landlords for permission if tenants want to adopt.
“A lot of the times landlords will ask for increased rent or additional deposits when renters are trying to adopt,” said Chris Nelson, director of animal services. “Then this delays and many times prevents the adoption process, because renters can’t afford it or the landlords just won’t allow animals.”
Dog breeds can also affect a renter’s ability to adopt from the Humane Society. It is common for home insurance providers to increase rates based on dog breeds. Nelson said the most common dogs that cause increased rates are huskies, pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds.
The Humane Society is at full capacity and has suspended all surrenders. The nonprofit requires a $25 donation for surrendered pets, and Nelson describes the process as very emotional.
“As the shelter director, we have to respect and honor the landlords’ wishes. But me as a person, I wish people would lighten up about it because the vast majority of pet owners are responsible. And it puts people in a very tough position,” he said.
Nelson has experienced his own struggles with finding affordable, pet-friendly places to rent in La Plata County. Upon moving into a home when he owned four dogs, he paid a $2,500 pet deposit. On top of that, he paid an additional $250 in rent each month, averaging to about $60 per pet. Despite thoroughly cleaning the house after moving out, he did not receive the vast majority of his pet deposit back.
“I was able to do it but it was very tough. You know, it’s disheartening, and I wish more landlords were understanding,” he said.
One of the Humane Society’s biggest hurdles is the inability for renters to adopt pets and the increased traffic the facility experiences because of surrendered pets.
While many La Plata County residents struggle to find pet-friendly and affordable housing, the issue is nationwide. Colorado Rep. Alex Valdez, of Denver, introduced a House Bill on Sept. 9 that addresses the battle for pet owners.
Colorado House Bill 23-1068 prohibits landlords from charging tenants with pets additional security deposits of more than $300. All security deposits must be refundable. The bill also says landlords cannot charge additional rent for pets that exceeds $35 per month, or 1.5% of the tenant’s monthly rent, whichever is greater.
The bill, also known as “Pet Animal Ownership in Housing,” also prevents home insurers from asking tenants about specific dog breeds except to ask if the dog is known to be dangerous.
Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill June 7, opening doors for people like Cruz, Nelson and Townsend’s daughter. Pet owners’ search for housing could now be easier and cost them significantly less.
“I think it’s great. I think this is a really good thing to do and could potentially benefit thousands of pets across Colorado and their owners,” Nelson said. “Maybe even lessen the amount of surrendered pets at our shelter.”
glanderyou@durangoherald.com
