Should you allow pets in your vacation rental?

Yes. Find out how welcoming dogs into your vacation home increases your income.

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For many, dogs are less like pets and more like important members of the family. They’re best friends, constant companions, and most of all—fun travel partners. According to data collected from Vacasa.com reservations,* travelers would rather not leave their furry friends behind when they hit the road. And, that number of traveling pet parents only continues to grow. Bookings with pets increased by 30% since last year, while overall reservations grew by just 12%.

Yet, only less than 25% of vacation rentals are pet-friendly. This means homeowners can easily stand out from their competition if they welcome pets.


Why you should allow pets at your vacation rental


Fast facts:

  • On average, vacation homes that allow dogs earn as much as 15% more rental income than those that don’t.
  • Homes that allow dogs also see higher occupancy—almost 9% higher occupancy, on average.
  • In 2021, guests who searched for pet-friendly homes on Vacasa.com were about 25% more likely to book a stay.
  • Stays that include pets are 14% longer than those that don’t.
  • Guests’ spending on pet-friendly vacation rentals has increased by 15–20% year over year.


You’ll earn more revenue

Allowing pets on your property means your potential customer base increases, which in turn leads to higher occupancy rates. Our data shows that homes allowing dogs had higher rental revenue—as much as 15% higher—and higher occupancy than those that don’t.

And if guests don’t have to pay for someone to feed, walk, and check on their dog daily, they might instead spend a little extra on their vacation home. We saw a 15–20% increase in how much guests spend on pet-friendly vacation rental reservations, compared to data collected during the previous year.


Your home will stay in great condition

Worried about your rental going to the dogs, so to speak? You can rest easy: Our housekeepers are well-trained in cleaning up after pets and will keep your home sparkling clean. More importantly, we compared guest reviews of dog-friendly and non-dog-friendly Vacasa homes and found zero difference in cleanliness or property condition scores.

And of course, allowing pets doesn’t mean that your home will host dogs every night. According to our 2021–2022 data, only 23% of total reservations at pet-friendly homes include a dog.


You’ll boost off-season occupancy…

When it comes to slow travel seasons in your area, being pet-friendly pays. We found that occupancy rates are high for dog-friendly homes during the off-season.

In our experience, guests book more last-minute trips in the off-season. With a small window between booking and the stay, it may be harder to find a dog sitter. And since there’s less competition for pet-friendly homes this time of year, guests are able to both book the perfect home and bring their pet.


…and peak season occupancy, too

Pet-friendliness affects peak season as well. During seasons when market demand is high, pet-friendly homes’ can book up up to 8% earlier than homes that don’t accept pets. With such high demand for great homes that allow pets, and with so few of these homes available on the market, going pet-friendly can give you a nice boost in revenue.

*Data collected from Vacasa.com reservations July 1, 2021—June 20, 2022. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

FAQ for pet-friendly homes

Vacasa collects a small nightly fee on dog-friendly homes, which helps cover operational costs such as additional cleaning to keep your review scores high and pet supplies.

Here are some of the items we recommend stocking in your vacation rental to accommodate dog owners (and their four-legged friends):

  • Stainless steel or plastic dog bowls
  • Furniture and carpet cleaner
  • Small towels to wipe muddy paws
  • Dog bed with a machine-washable cover
  • Dog waste bags

And consider attracting them with these thoughtful extras:

  • Extra leashes
  • Machine-washable chew toys
  • Recommendations for pet-friendly eateries and off-leash areas

If you're already a Vacasa homeowner, you can log in to your online account and update your home to accept dogs.

Access your owner account >

Guests staying at a pet-friendly Vacasa home can bring dogs specifically authorized in their reservation, including emotional support dogs. If a home isn't designated as pet-friendly, or the guest hasn't specifically added a dog to their reservation, emotional support dogs are not permitted.

Of course, we welcome service animals, as required by law. See our rental agreement for more details.

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*Data collected from Vacasa.com reservations as of July 6, 2020. Additional occupancy data collected from Vacasa reservations as of September 15, 2020. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

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