Pets and animals may offer many benefits to their owners, however owning animals can also reduce the value of a residential or commercial property. Pets can urinate indoors, scratch hardwood floors, or tear up carpets with their claws. This may make it difficult to sell a property for a fair price.
Cats
Cats can scratch up floors, pull up pieces of carpet, scratch walls, or leave strong odors that can be difficult to remove. Feral cats may also be a problem for property owners as they may rummage through garbage or mark their territory with foul-smelling liquids.
Dogs
Some dog breeds may not cause damage, however dogs can still break through screen doors or gates, scratch hard floor surfaces, damage carpets. Female dogs that do not get spayed can also cause damage.
Birds
Birds cause cleanliness problems. Bird droppings and feathers can get on floors, window treatments, furniture, and other surfaces.
Farm Animals
Farm animals can be a lot of hard work as some of these animals can be large and require regular food, cleaning, and medical care. Large animals like cows and horses are among other animals that can cause property damage and reduce the value of a property.
Wild Animals
Wild animals such as deer can damage fencing or grass. Bears can destroy trash cans, railings, and fences. Bat droppings cause a foul odor and are difficult to clean. Rodents gnaw through wires, make holes in walls, and cause other property damage.
Benefits
While animals may cause damage, they can also be very beneficial to property owners. Feral cats feed on rodents, dogs can act as guard dogs, farm animals can provide fertilizers, and other animals can reduce the number of insects. With proper care the benefits of animals can be utilized and the quality of the property can stay up to par.