‘Pets are family’: Calgary partners with humane society to tackle pet surrenders

The Calgary Humane Society is working with the city to encourage landlords to take on more pet owners as renters, who are often stable, long-term tenants. (Pexels/Vitaly Garlev)

The City of Calgary is partnering with the Calgary Humane Society to tackle one of the factors leading to an increased number of pets being surrendered to shelters.

“Pets are family. Housing should reflect that,” said Carrie Fritz with the Calgary Humane Society in a news release.

“We are seeing more and more families facing impossible decisions, not because they don’t love or want their pets, but because they simply cannot find housing that allows them to stay together.”

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Using research compiled by the University of Calgary, the city is working with the humane society to push for increased access to pet-friendly housing.

According to the data, 53 per cent of Calgarians are pet owners, but only 10 per cent of rentals allow pets.

More than half of pet-owning renters say they’ve been denied housing because of their animals, and many are living in unsafe or unhealthy situations because of a lack of alternatives.

Housing barriers lead to surrenders

Officials say more than 500 animals are abandoned or surrendered in Calgary each year and one of the main reasons is pet owners needing to choose between their furry family member or a place to live.

“These are not cases of neglect or lack of commitment; they are the result of a system that leaves pet owners with no viable options,” the city says.

The partnership will work by encouraging landlords to reconsider restrictions on pets by illustrating how difficult it is for people to leave their pets.

“Enabling housing choice is essential to building a city that works for everyone,” said Reid Hendry, chief housing officer with the City of Calgary.

“Landlords can play an important role in expanding housing choice by providing pet inclusive options for Calgarians.”

Through the initiative, landlords will be shown how pet owners are often long-term, stable tenants and by accessing that pool of renters, units can be leased much faster.

It also aims to work with them to develop “clear policies and expectations” to minimize any concerns.

Further details about the strategy can be found online.