(Oklahoma City) – More than 70 percent of people in the United States own a pet. While 76% of housing owners and operators say they are pet-friendly, a whopping 76% of renters say pet-friendly housing is hard to find. That gap in availability of pet-inclusive housing is the topic of a virtual Pet Inclusive Housing Webinar at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 28th, hosted by Louisa McCune, executive director of Kirkpatrick Foundation, and Matthew Goodwin, of Brave & Creative.

Ross Barker, Judy Bellack, and Vince Wong of the Michelson Found Animals Foundation will present their findings from Michelson’s groundbreaking Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative. This research looks to bridge the gap between pet-owners and rental housing owners/operators through data and market-based solutions that will benefit renters and owners/operators and help pets.

“Bridging the gap by increasing the availability of pet-inclusive housing can help Oklahoma individuals and families find the homes they need while providing impressive economic returns to owners/ operators,” says McCune. “Given that Oklahoma is fifth worst in the nation for the needless euthanasia of cats and dogs on a per-1000 basis, our state’s rental housing industry can play a vital role in making Oklahoma a humane, no-kill state, while ensuring steady profits.”

Economically, the study found, residents in pet-friendly housing stay on average 21% longer than those in non-pet-friendly housing. Additionally, 83% of housing operators say that having a pet friendly policy helps them fill vacancies faster, yet the scarcity of pet-inclusive rental housing continues to be a barrier for pet owners throughout the United States. This issue is particularly acute for lower-income pet owners.

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Michelson Found Animals Foundation have worked together to identify the benefits of pet inclusive housing in order to create healthier communities and more economic opportunities for both pet-owners and property owners.

“This kind of housing could potentially help up to 8.2 million animals find homes over time, while freeing up more accessible living options for many families across Oklahoma,” said Matthew Goodwin. “We will discuss compelling data that demonstrates how the rental housing industry will benefit from forward-thinking pet policies.”

The virtual webinar is free and open to the public. To attend or learn more, email: register@braveandcreative. com