People love their fur babies: According to the Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends, nearly a third of renters (32 percent) are pet owners, and 41 percent of renters list allowing a pet as a top requirement for their rental home.

While accommodating pets on your property helps you attract a larger pool of prospective residents, it’s also important to put the necessary rules and regulations in place to help you manage residents and their pets.

Here are five tips for renting to residents with pets.

1. Request a pet interview

Before you approve the applicant and sign the lease, ask if you can meet their pet to confirm that he or she is well-behaved. Interacting with the pet beforehand will help affirm that the animal fits your size requirements and is trained and friendly.

2. Establish a pet policy

Make sure the provisions in the lease protect both you and your residents from the liability of having a pet on the premises. You can require pet parents to provide health and vaccination records as well as proof that the pet is spayed or neutered. Keep your property clean, in good condition and welcoming for everybody by designating a pet “bathroom” area with waste cans and requiring residents to pick up after their pets.

3. Make pet-friendly retrofits to your property

Minimize the costs associated with maintaining a pet-friendly property by replacing carpets with durable flooring options, which are easier to clean, won’t trap dirt or odors, and have a much longer lifespan than carpet. Applying stain-resistant treatments to carpets and fabric will also help your property withstand more wear and tear from pets.

Also consider other benefits to address your residents’ needs with features like pet grooming stations, walking services and dog runs in a less visible area of the property.

4. Preempt the costs of damage in the deposit

Allowing pets in your rental can put you at risk for pet-related property damage. Protect your investment from potential damages by requiring renters to put down a larger pet deposit. A more substantial security deposit can help you cover the costs of cleaning stained carpets, repairing chewed surfaces or removing scratches when the resident vacates the property.

5. Build the price of pets into the rent

It’s common for properties to charge an extra pet fee of $50-$100 per month for animals over a certain size. The additional charge can help you cover the damages a larger animal may cause to the property. Set your size or weight limitations and apply them across the board for all pet-owning residents.

Be sure to read up on fair housing laws in your area for any limitations on the rules in your pet policy, particularly when it comes to service or emotional support animals. It’s important to have a system in place that protects your investment and helps you work with pet-owning residents to provide an open and accommodating living experience.

Originally published on 10/29/2014.