There are different opinions on best practices for real estate photos, but one thing most all agreed upon, until recently, is that sellers’ pets should never appear in the listing. Buyers want to picture their own lives in the home, so photos should be a blank canvas. Listing agent, Bitterman, had a hard time removing the sellers dog from the couch. So, instead of getting frustrated she went with it, and took a picture of the living room... dog and all. That photo ended up being the photo EVERYONE loved!! The dog just fit the room, making the apartment feel cozy, warm, and full of love. People were saying “I love the photo with the dog!”
Some say that this will is a horrible idea. Setting off alarm bells concerning HVAC systems being overworked due to clogged filters due to all of the fur in the air. There is also the potential buyer being allergic to pet dander.
One agent equates showing pets in listing photos to having a presidential campaign sign on the front lawn. “You’ll attract some and repulse others,” says Bruce Ailion of Re/Max Town and Country. “Why take the risk of alienating anyone?”
I guess if you MUST use a pet in a listing photo I'd suggest staying away from the four-legged ones… use a fish!