MEDFORD, Ore. — Renting and paying extra per month for a furry companion could become a thing of the past.
That’s if a new Oregon house bill passes banning pet rent.
“Kids don’t generally pee on carpets… pets do,” said Mark Nichols, landlord.
If you’re a pet owner renting a home or an apartment, you’re well-aware of paying extra for your furry companion.
But what if that “pet fee” just disappeared?
“That would be great,” said Peter Swift, pet owner. “I would not complain a little bit…”
“It would be a little bit of a relief,” Heather Fystrom. “[To] not to have to worry about the pet rent added in…”
That’s what a new Oregon house bill is proposing. And it’s getting a lot of attention.
Some pet owners are fearful banning pet fees will cause landlords to ban pets altogether.
“I mean since probably 80-90 percent of the rentals here in the Rogue Valley are not pet-friendly… that would probably be a huge problem,” said Katie Latvala, pet owner.
Others worry prices for rentals will skyrocket.
“Then we’re going to have an overrun at our shelters and things like that of pets because people are going to have to get rid of them… because they can’t financially afford them.”
The bill hasn’t passed yet, but it’s already not sitting well with landlords in the area.
“Pets can’t wipe their feet when they go in the door… so there’s going to be increased wear and tear.”
Nichols says the damage pets can cause isn’t cheap. He’s spent as much as $3,000 on repairs.
“The problem is… you can’t charge a lot, a huge amount of money to cover what the pets could do,” said Nichols.
And if this bill passes, Nichols says banning pets is a real possibility.
“It’s just not worth it for us anymore. It will actually reduce the supply of housing available to pet owners.”
While the bill would ban monthly pet rent, landlords would still be allowed to collect a pet deposit.
Stay with NBC5 news for more updates on the bill’s progress.
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