Renting an apartment with pets in Cherkasy: how to find a place for your cat or dog

On 29 September 2026 the classifieds site OLX had 108 long-term apartment listings in Cherkasy. Only 16 of them allowed pets, roughly one in seven. 46 listings explicitly said no, and another 46 left the pets field empty. In 21 of those 46, “no pets” was also spelled out in the description itself.

Where pets were allowed, it was most often a small dog (15 listings) or a cat (10). Medium dogs were accepted in 3 listings, large dogs in just one. So your odds are much better with a cat or a small dog. Houses look similar: 4 out of 17 house listings in the city accepted pets.

The median asking rent was 22,000 UAH a month in pet-friendly listings (16 listings) and 18,000 UAH where pets were banned (46). The sample is small, though, and the gap may come down to location, size or renovation rather than the pet. These figures do not prove that renting with a cat costs more, and they are asking prices, not signed deals.

The practical takeaway: an empty pets field is not a refusal. Do not skip those listings, just ask.

Landlords are rarely afraid of the animal itself. What worries them is uncertainty: scratched doors and furniture, smells, fur on the sofa, damaged floors, neighbours complaining about barking. Most rentals come furnished (96 of 108 Cherkasy listings on OLX were marked as furnished), so the owner is thinking about the sofa and the mattress, not just the walls.

Ukrainian law does give the owner some protection. The Civil Code requires the tenant to keep the home in proper condition (Art. 815), and the landlord can ask a court to terminate the lease if the home is damaged (Art. 825). Court is slow and unpleasant, though, so many owners simply refuse up front. Your job is to remove the uncertainty: introduce the pet, offer guarantees and put the terms in writing.

The main rule: mention your pet in your very first message. You will not waste time on viewings that end in a no, and the landlord will not feel misled.

• Describe the pet straight away: species, age, weight, breed. “A 4-year-old cat” and “a 35 kg shepherd” sound very different to a landlord.
• In the Svit Nerukhomosti apartment catalogue, read the listing description. If pets are not mentioned, ask the manager whether the owner would consider them.
• On OLX, check the pets field, but do not rule out listings where it is empty; that is almost half of them.
• If the owner is mainly worried about the furniture, ask whether they could take some items out, such as a sofa or a rug.
• With a large dog, consider a house: a yard and a separate entrance solve some of the problems. See the houses section of the catalogue.
• Allow extra time: searching with a pet usually takes longer, so start well ahead rather than a week before you have to move.

A short fact sheet about your pet works better than “he is very calm, honestly”. Prepare it in advance and send it with your first message or bring it to the viewing.

A sample message: “Hello! I am interested in your apartment. I live with a cat: 4 years old, neutered, litter-trained and uses a scratching post. I am happy to include liability for any damage in the lease and to have the apartment cleaned when I move out. Would you consider it?”

• Species, breed, age, weight, a photo and a short video at home.
• Neutering status and vaccinations (vet passport).
• Habits: litter box or walks, scratching, barking, how long they stay home alone.
• What you do to protect the home: scratching post, crate or carrier, furniture covers.
• Contact details of a previous landlord who can confirm there were no problems.
• An offer to meet: the owner can see the pet before signing.

In Ukraine a residential lease must be in writing (Civil Code, Art. 811). Chapter 59 of the Code, which governs residential leases, has no special rules on pets, so it all comes down to what you and the landlord agree. A verbal “fine, bring the cat” is easily forgotten by move-out day; a written clause protects both sides.

If the landlord wants extra rent for the pet, write it into the lease from the start. Rent cannot be changed unilaterally unless the lease or the law allows it (Art. 820), so anything not agreed in writing at the outset becomes a dispute later.

• Permission with details: species, number, breed or name, so there is no “I agreed to one cat, not two”.
• Any new pet only with the landlord's written consent.
• Liability for damage and how it is assessed: against the handover report and photos.
• Condition at move-out: cleaning, upholstery cleaning, flea treatment, and who pays.
• The deposit amount, what can be deducted from it and when it is returned.
• Any pet surcharge, stated as an amount in the lease rather than verbally.
• House rules: walks, cleaning up in the stairwell and yard, noise.

Ukrainian law has no special “pet deposit”. The Civil Code does not even define a security deposit, so its terms depend entirely on the lease. According to the Cedos think tank (a 2025 study covering Ukraine as a whole), a deposit is usually equal to one month's rent, and not returning it is one of the most common violations.

A landlord may ask for a larger deposit because of the pet; that is up to the two of you. To get it back, state the amount, the grounds for deductions and the return deadline in the lease, and at move-out inspect the apartment together against the handover report. If you rent through the agency, ask the manager about payment terms.

Cats. The main worries are scratched doors, wallpaper and upholstery, and litter smell. Show that you have a scratching post and agree on regular cleaning. If your cat likes the balcony or the windowsill, ask whether you may install a safety net and note it in the lease.

Dogs. Size, noise and neighbours are what count. According to OLX data, small dogs are accepted most often and large dogs rarely. Explain your walking schedule, how long the dog stays alone and whether it barks. Ask where you can walk the dog nearby and whether there are difficult neighbours in the building.

Other pets. Rodents, birds or fish usually worry landlords less, but mention them anyway. A large aquarium carries a risk of flooding the flat below, so it is worth a separate line in the lease.

With a pet, documenting the condition of the apartment matters even more: at move-out any scratch may be blamed on the animal. Do it on the day you move in, together with the landlord. For a full list of what to inspect, see our apartment viewing checklist.

• Photos and video of every room: floors, doors, wallpaper, upholstery, rugs.
• A handover report listing the furniture and any existing damage, signed by both sides.
• Windows and balcony: can a net be installed, is it safe for the pet.
• Nearby: a place for walks, a vet clinic, a pet shop.
• Stairwell and neighbours: any existing complaints about pets, whether the lift works.