Realtor.com® Announces Favorite Pet-Friendly Rental Markets and Otis, the Scene-Stealing Dog, as Its Rental Listings Spokesdog

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Realtor.com^®, which is operated by Move, Inc., today announced its top five favorite pet-friendly rental markets in the nation. Although the majority of households in the United States own a pet (62 percent, according to ASPCA[i]), it can be difficult to find rentals that allow co-habitation with furry friends. Odds are better in the cities below, which have the highest number of pet-friendly rental listings among realtor.com-tracked markets and plenty of off-leash areas for man's best friend to roam:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130416/LA95306-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130416/LA95306-b)

If owning a pet is a must and owning a home isn't quite within the realm of possibility, chances are you'll have an easier time finding a rental in one of these markets that will welcome you and your pet with open arms. In Miami, for example, about 42 percent of rental listings tracked on realtor.com^® are pet-friendly. Nearly 1,400 properties in Houston are ready to roll out the welcome mat for pet-owning renters, compared with just 24 in Columbus, Ohio.

A story surfacing in our No. 2-ranked Chicago caught the attention of realtor.com^®. In March, Otis the dog helped his owners turn around their Chicago apartment rental in less than 24 hours. By making stealth appearances in each shot in the ad, Otis, "the scene-stealing dog," and his apartment listing went viral, gaining national media attention. Inspired by his story, realtor.com^® jumped on the opportunity to hire the Great Dane-German Shepherd mix to represent our pet-friendly rental listings.

"We know how important it is for renters to find a home that meets all their needs and the needs of their furry family members," said Barbara O'Connor, executive vice president of marketing at Move Inc. and owner of a black rescue dog named Maddie. "We think Otis will do a great job of representing our dedication to pet-friendly listings and, as an extension, our commitment to delivering the best tools available to help renters find the right house or apartment for them."

Otis found his perfect home with owners John and Sara Kanive when he was adopted from Chicago's Almost Home Foundation as an eight-week-old pup. Almost Home is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to rescuing stray and abandoned animals from high-kill shelters. In hopes that other animals also find dream homes, Otis is donating a portion of his realtor.com^® salary to the foundation.

"We loved Otis' story and reached out to his owners immediately to see if they would consider helping other home seekers find pet-friendly listings," said Dave Arnold, executive creative director at realtor.com's ad agency Pereira & O'Dell. "He's a natural spokesdog and soon-to-be national symbol for tracking down pet-friendly listings first."

Recognizing pet-friendly rental listings is about to become even easier with the help of Otis. Realtor.com^® will be making photos of the spokesdog available as a tool to help REALTORS amplify their pet-friendly listings on realtor.com®. Check out Otis' appearance in this San Diego apartment listing, and be sure to look for him on realtor.com^® and beyond in the coming months!

ABOUT realtor.com®

Operated by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), realtor.com® helps connect people with the content, tools and expertise they need to find their perfect home. As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make the smartest decisions when it comes to finding a home by leveraging direct connections with more than 800 MLSs to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date listing information in neighborhoods across the country, and by making timely and meaningful connections between consumers and REALTORS®. Whether through desktop, mobile or tablet versions, realtor.com® is where home happens.

About Pereira & O'Dell

Pereira & O'Dell (www.pereiraodell.com) is an international award-winning advertising agency that combines techniques from traditional advertising, digital, PR and design to create innovative campaigns, programs and products that are in sync with how consumers behave today. The agency was recently named to both Advertising Age and Creativity 2013 A-Lists based on the company's business performance, impact on clients' businesses as well as industry leadership and innovation. Among the Pereira & O'Dell client roster are Mattel, Intel, Skype, BevMo!, Corona and Henkel North America.

[i] According to the ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics.aspx
[ii] According to Bring Fido: www.bringfido.com

SOURCE Move, Inc.