Apartment hunting in New York is already a nightmare. But for serious dog people, finding an apartment suitable for themselves and their pet can seem impossible.
For a “certain bread of pet owner,” building amenities designed to attract people are failing to land, as a dog’s wellness becomes a primary concern, according the New York Times.
“Many people who don’t have children view their pets as their children, and they consider their pets’ needs in the same way others would consider how the schools or playgrounds are in a particular neighborhood,” said Arlene Kagle, a psychologist. “These are people who have a great deal of empathy, so they worry about their pets as they would worry about another human being — though some have been known to carry it to extremes.”
And in NYC’s super competitive real estate market, taking it to extremes means passing up a dream apartment in Tribeca and renting something pricier in Chelsea, all so a dog can be near its favorite spa.
That is exactly what Kaitlin and Ben Fund did for their golden retriever, Hobie.
“When we bought Hobie,” Kaitlin told the Times, “we promised ourselves that because he’s a big dog we would send him to day care so he wouldn’t be cooped up at home with nothing to do.”
Seems like the pooches are putting the owners in the doghouse these days. [NYT] –Christopher Cameron