San Antonio is a top pet-friendly city for renters

San Antonio is the sixth most pet-friendly city in the country for renters, per new research from Zillow.

The big picture: Pet ownership soared during the pandemic and the local real estate rental market remains pricey — and no one wants to hold a grudge against their cat for keeping them from renting that perfect apartment.

By the numbers: 75.8% of San Antonio's rental listings allow pets, Zillow found. But some of our neighbors in Texas still beat us.

• Austin is first, with 80.8% of rental listings allowing pets.
• Dallas came in second, with 78% of listings allowing pets.
• Fort Worth ranks third.

Yes, but: Landlords often add fees and additional rent for tenants with pets, unless the renter provides documentation that the animal is for emotional support or a disability.

Plus: A 2021 paper examining the burden of pet fees on Texas families found that fees in San Antonio disproportionately target lower income and non-white communities.

• High-end, pet-friendly apartments — more likely to be in high-income and predominantly white communities — are less likely to have pet fees.

Zoom out: 59% of renters nationally reported having at least one pet in 2022, up from 46% in 2018, per Zillow's latest Consumer Home Trends Report.

What they're saying: "Renters with pets who are planning to sign a new lease this year face even stiffer competition because they are limited to apartments where their furry friends are allowed," Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert, said in a statement.

Between the lines: Potential renters filter for pet-friendly listings twice as often as any other amenity on Zillow.com.