Animal rescues are airing their concerns as strict rental rules force Whangārei families to either give up their pets or go homeless.

Finding a pet-friendly rental has so far proved to be impossible for Lisa
Coyle, who is the owner of two dogs and three cats.

“I now understand why so many people are homeless,” Coyle said.

The Whangārei mother and her daughter have been given 90 days to vacate the rental, as the new owners want to renovate.

Coyle has great references for herself and her pets, who are all house-trained, but said it’s hard to feel hopeful when you’re rejected before you even apply.

“There are 80 houses for rent on TradeMe, and all of them say no pets,” said Coyle.

Time is quickly running out for Coyle’s family, who have to be out of the property by the 23rd of October.

“I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and this definitely isn’t helping.”

“My dog is not registered as a support dog, but he has been like my support dog – he goes everywhere with me.”

A Facebook post Coyle made about the issue attracted over 100 comments from Whangārei pet owners with similar rental struggles.

Finding a rental in Whangarei is already difficult amidst the nationwide housing crisis. Last year, Northland saw one of the highest hikes in annual rents in the country.

The SPCA has been approached by several pet owners who have expressed concern about the lack of pet-friendly rentals, said Whangārei Centre manager Karla Aekins.

“The lack of affordable pet-friendly rental properties is a known barrier to adoption,” said SPCA science officer Dr Alison Vaughan.

“SPCA is concerned that current restrictions contribute to the number of pets relinquished to shelters in New Zealand, including SPCA.”

Earlier this year, the Advocate reported that Northland animal rescuers are being pushed to their limits caring for animals.

“SPCA encourages landlords and rental agencies to consider adopting a ‘pets negotiable’ approach,” Vaughan said.

Allowing tenants to foster animals is a low-commitment approach landlords can take to trial-run allowing their property to be pet-friendly, the SPCA suggests.

“Research also shows that landlords offering pet-friendly rentals are more likely to keep their properties rented for longer, and may even maximise their profits,” Vaughan said.

Under tenancy law, landlords don’t have to allow pets in their rental properties at all.

The hostility toward pets in the rental market is a point of anxiety for a Whangārei mother with a specially trained support dog for her daughter.

“What I worry about is, if I have to move and go into rental through an agent, then it’s just going to be an outright ‘no’, and my daughter needs a therapy dog for anxiety,” said the woman, who the Advocate has chosen not to name.

Her current rental didn’t allow pets, but she was able to convince the landlord by letting them meet the dog, and now they’ve lived there for two years.

“It’s $15,000 for a therapy dog; I could spend that money… and then have to move, and the next rental doesn’t take dogs.”

Previously, service dogs have been a grey area when it comes to rentals, and proving you’ve been denied a rental by a landlord because you’ve got an assistance dog can be difficult, a Whangārei disability advocate pointed out.

“There are certain rules around disability assist dogs being allowed in certain public areas where other pets can’t go, but I don’t think this includes rental properties,” said Tiaho Trust CEO Jonny Wilkinson.

Disability assist dogs are now protected in law after the recent passing of the Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill in May.

The amendment to the Human Rights Act replaced “guide dog” with “disability assist dog”, broadening the prohibited ground of discrimination to include assist dogs who provide assistance to people with a range of disabilities extending beyond visual impairment.

These rules apply to dogs certified as a “disability assist dog” by an approved organisation like the Blind Foundation, Assistance Dogs NZ or Hearing Dogs for Deaf People NZ.

“In terms of support/therapy dogs, there are no particular rules or regulations that I am aware of,” said Wilkinson.

Nearly two-thirds of Kiwi households have at least one pet according to a 2020 NZ Companion Animal Council (CANZ) survey, and more than half of the households that don’t currently have a pet would like to have one.

An unsuitable home or lifestyle was a barrier to pet ownership for 37 per cent of respondents, and living in rented accommodation where pets are not allowed impacted 33 per cent.

“It is disappointing that many landlords continue to disallow pet ownership in rented accommodation, given the large number of animals in New Zealand looking for a home,” said CANZ General Manager David Lloyd.