The Red and Black

Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: Athens Living

Media Credit: FILE PHOTO Although many students choose to adopt pets, deposits at apartments, vet bills and supplies such as food and bowls are important costs to consider. [Click to enlarge]

Pets may be intoxicatingly cute to students who miss cats and dogs from home or want a new furry and loyal roommate, but his first piddle-puddle accident on the carpet could end up costing owners up to $800.

Many apartment complexes do not allow pets at all, and the ones that do have strict policies that could end up being very expensive before a resident even introduces the little furball to his new home.

Pet deposits for Athens apartment complexes that allow animals range from $150 to $400 and are refundable if the animal does not cause any damage or harm to the apartment. But if a student has a long day of classes or work and Mr. Barky does not get let outside to go to the bathroom, that pet deposit may not be enough to cover all of the damages.

"If a pet were to urinate on the floor and it soaked through the carpet and into the padding that could cost up $600 to replace in a one bedroom apartment," said Debora Poole, the manager at River Mill Apartments. "We would have to then deduct the $250 pet deposit from how much it cost to put in all new carpet and pads and then bill the resident for whatever was not covered."

However, many apartments choose to have, on top of a pet deposit, a pet rent fee that averages about $20 per pet every month. This fee is non-refundable and does not depend on whether or not the pet causes any damage.

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