In a heartbreaking turn of events, a dog owner was forced to give up his beloved pet to secure a rental home after experiencing significant challenges in the housing market. James Strauch, a 42-year-old maintenance manager and RNLI volunteer from Rhyl, faced an uphill battle, applying for over 60 rental properties in his search for accommodation that would allow him to keep his four-year-old Labrador Mastiff cross, Bruno.
Despite offering landlords a £1,000 deposit and even proposing to redecorate and recarpet the property, Strauch received a barrage of rejections whenever he mentioned having a dog. “When I omitted mentioning Bruno as a clerical error, the responses were virtually immediate,” Strauch revealed. “But once I disclosed the dog, it was a blanket ‘no.’”
Strauch had initially welcomed Bruno as a puppy while living with his former partner. However, after their breakup, he sought new accommodations for himself and his dog. After months of frustration and uncertainty, he faced the heart-wrenching decision to rehome Bruno, saying, “He’s only ever known me since he was a puppy. As far as I’m concerned, I’m his entire world. They’re not just pets; they’re family.”
Strauch eventually found someone nearby willing to adopt Bruno, but the moment he surrendered his dog was deeply painful. “It’s only been two months, and I still have sad moments,” he shared.
In a twist of irony, after rehoming Bruno, Strauch experienced a swift turnaround in his housing search. “As soon as I rehomed Bruno, I had a viewing within two days, and I had the keys in my hand within a week,” he noted.
The issue of pet ownership in rental properties is not unique to Strauch. George King, a fellow pet owner, recounted spending a year looking for a suitable home for himself and his cat, Didi. He ultimately chose to hide his pet from potential landlords, stating, “Landlords didn’t want to deal with the damage an animal could cause. I was like, ‘This is a cat, not a pit bull.’” King highlighted the intense competition in the North Wales rental market, where landlords have the luxury of selecting tenants without pets.
Currently, there is no legal obligation in the UK for landlords to allow pets in rental properties, although guidelines suggest they cannot unreasonably refuse such requests. Steve Bletsoe, the Wales operations manager for the National Residential Landlords Association, expressed that landlords should retain the right to refuse pets. “Ultimately, it’s about managing an asset. Pets introduce additional risks,” he explained.
The Dogs Trust reported a concerning rise in the number of pet surrenders due to accommodation issues, with a nearly 33% increase observed from March to July this year compared to the same period in 2023. Kim Davies, a rehoming manager at Dogs Trust, emphasized that many owners feel compelled to give up their pets as a last resort, stating, “We really feel that here, because we don’t want it. The dogs themselves are heartbroken.”
In Wales, current legislation puts the onus on landlords to consider each rental application involving pets on a case-by-case basis. However, the RSPCA’s head of public affairs, David Bowles, remarked that landlords often ignore these guidelines.
In response to the growing concerns surrounding pet ownership in rental properties, the Welsh government is considering supportive measures for renters with pets, with proposals set to be announced later this month. Simultaneously, the UK government is reviewing laws regarding pet ownership in rental housing, following the recent second reading of the Renters’ Rights Bill in Parliament. This bill has garnered support from the RSPCA, which believes it will compel landlords to provide clear reasons for denying pet requests and introduce an ombudsman to assist in resolving disputes between tenants and landlords without resorting to court.
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