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Many Gen Zers and millennials may be delaying marriage or having children, but that doesn’t mean their homes have to be quiet. With cats sprawled on window sills and dogs waiting by the door, pets fill even the tiniest apartments with warmth and joy.
The challenge is that Jakarta apartments haven’t always been welcoming to furry tenants. For years, pet parents have had to sneak in their companions or leave them behind when moving into the city’s high rises.
But that’s been changing. A growing number of apartments now promote themselves as pet-friendly, offering everything from dog parks to grooming stations, proof that a home doesn’t need to be big to feel full.
The search
Finding one, however, can feel like a game of luck.
“Finding a pet-friendly apartment was very difficult. There are very few options and they’re hard to access,” says cat parent Theda, 30.
But fellow cat parent Aubry, 24, had a different experience.
“I don’t remember it being difficult at all. It’s pretty easy since a lot of apartments allow pets nowadays,” says the resident of Embarcadero Bintaro.
Both were looking in South Tangerang, but the difference might lie in how they searched. Some apartments don’t advertise themselves as pet-friendly but quietly allow them. Sometimes, it just takes asking the right questions.
Before signing anything, it’s best to check the fine print, as some apartments limit the type or number of pets.
And as Aubry points out, “You have to think about what kind of pet you have and whether the apartment will be comfortable for them. Also, you have to be aware if your pet might be hostile or aggressive, because you don’t live in the building alone.”
The options
From high-end towers to budget-friendly kos-kosan (boarding houses), options for pet parents are expanding.
For those who want, and can afford, the best of everything, high-end properties like Branz Mega Kuningan offer sky decks, gardens for leashed walks and even pet buttons in their elevators to alert neighbors when furry passengers are on board.
Savyavasa Dharmawangsa provides jogging trails surrounded by greenery, perfect for morning walks with pets. Meanwhile, Aerium Residence in West Jakarta goes all out with its own dog park, grooming station and dog café, plus a nearby vet clinic for extra peace of mind.
These apartments don’t come cheap, starting around Rp 3 billion (US$ 181.058) per unit, but more affordable choices exist. Embarcadero Bintaro offers a pet-friendly park with a monthly rental from Rp 4 million per month, while Sky House BSD welcomes pets for around Rp 3.5 million.
Even kos-kosan are becoming more pet-friendly, letting you live with your fur baby for as low as Rp 1.5 million a month. Many owners are flexible if tenants commit to keeping their pets clean and quiet.
Tracy, 29, who lives in a kos with her cat Ziggy, won her landlord over with an unusual strategy.
“I treated it like pitching to a client,” she laughed.
“I made a proposal deck to convince the owner to let me bring Ziggy.”
It worked.
“Having Ziggy is like having a friend who listens to my stories, a mood booster who greets me when I get home,” she said.
“As long as I can be with Ziggy, it’s all worth it.”
The reality
Once you’ve moved in, the rules are surprisingly simple. Keep your pets from bothering the neighbors, clean up after them and everyone gets along.
An apartment with thick walls really helps.
“The noises from other units aren’t really audible, so as pet owners, we don’t bother our neighbors or stress them out,” says Theda.
The more challenging rule is making sure your pets don’t turn common areas into toilets.
“My apartment doesn’t provide pet toilets, so we need to bring sanitary tools when walking our pets,” she adds.
Some apartments now provide dedicated pet toilets, dog parks, grooming areas and even pet cafés. Some see these as gimmicks, but for pet parents, they make all the difference.
“The pet park [in my apartment] is super pet-friendly,” says Aubry.
“It’s sort of more catered toward dogs, but my cat hangs out there from time to time. She really enjoys it. It’s small and gated, so it’s safe for the pets to run around.”
He added, “I don’t think pet-friendly facilities are just a gimmick. They create a nice sense of community. You often see pet owners and their pets hanging out together.”
For Theda, who walks her two cats in her apartment’s regular park, a dedicated dog park would be ideal.
“Regular parks have ornamental plants that could get damaged by pets. Also, they don’t have pet toilets or trash bins for poop, so we have to dispose of it somewhere else,” she says.
Beyond the living space, neighbors can make or break the experience. In pet-friendly apartments, you’re surrounded by like-minded people. Friendly chats about fur babies happen naturally, and when you need advice, there’s a whole community just a few doors away.
For many city dwellers, living in a house with a yard might be out of reach, but building a home isn’t. Pets bring life and warmth to even the smallest spaces.
If your apartment feels too small, or the city feels too fast, a wagging tail or a soft purr might be all it takes to make it feel like home.
