Pet surrenders rising significantly in P.E.I. as animal-friendly housing remains difficult to find

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — With potential pet protections being voted down within the legislature, some present and new tenants in Prince Edward Island might must make the tough determination between their furry companions or housing.

Amid a provincial housing disaster, folks attempting to find rental items in P.E.I. are sometimes going through stiff competitors. However for these like Justine Lorch, who’s hoping to discover a new dwelling for her and her two cats, discovering a pet-friendly rental unit is much more difficult.

“It is simply very aggressive. For any good flats, there are a lot of different certified candidates making use of, so it’s actually simply luck of the draw for a lot of of us, I feel,” she mentioned.

Lorch, who lives in Fredericton, has been searching for a rental in P.E.I. for the final six months as a way to reap the benefits of new job alternatives right here in her area and to be nearer to a few of her pals.

One of many largest hurdles to find pet-friendly housing thus far, she mentioned, has been getting a response from landlords within the first place.

“Particularly if you’re asking about pets, like in the event that they don’t record (in the event that they settle for pets or not) and you’re going in and asking about it,” she mentioned.

“Normally, it will likely be a really brief ‘no pets’ otherwise you simply received’t hear again.”

Dangerous excuses

The landlords who do reply have been straightforward to work with and had been up entrance with what they’re searching for in a tenant, nonetheless Lorch mentioned as a rule, there’s a push to not permit pets in leases.

“I’ve gotten some ridiculous excuses as to why they put no pets. Some are for allergic reactions, and that’s completely truthful if that’s true,” she mentioned.

“However (for one residence), the entryway as much as the residence had carpet on the steps. I perceive for a canine, that could possibly be a problem with it arising and down the steps with their claws, however my cats would by no means be in that space. Nonetheless, it was used as a motive to not even think about candidates with pets.”

No matter if it is a cat, canine or hamster, Lorch mentioned it appears most landlords are treating all animals the identical in the case of renting a unit to somebody with pets, which she mentioned isn’t truthful.

Together with her present employment contract wrapping up on the finish of December, Lorch mentioned she is now underneath a time restrict to discover a place to hire. If she was requested to surrender her cats, Fury and Tika, as a way to discover a place, Lorch mentioned she would by no means think about it.

“For me, personally, it isn’t (a alternative I may make),” she mentioned.

“I do produce other choices akin to staying in New Brunswick and sadly not connecting with the group I discovered on the Island. However for me, (my cats) are like my kids. I don’t see the choice to provide them up.”

Surrenders rising

Sadly, not everybody has another choice. Not too long ago, the P.E.I. Humane Society launched a report that mentioned the shelter’s consumption numbers for animals surrendered on account of housing points elevated by 134 per cent in 2022.

In an interview with SaltWire Community, Ashley Travis, improvement and communications co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Humane Society, mentioned that enhance interprets into 976 animals.

A lot of the animals had been surrendered as a result of their house owners had been unable to search out reasonably priced, pet-friendly housing, she mentioned, however some got up after tenants had been instructed to decide on between a number of pets.

“We do hear generally that some of us have a number of pets, however their landlord is simply prepared to take one or two,” mentioned Travis.

“So, they’re having to choose and select between their animals, which may be fairly demanding. For lots of people, that may be like selecting between kids. I don’t know that may be a alternative I may make.”

“I do produce other choices akin to staying in New Brunswick and sadly not connecting with the group I discovered on the Island. However for me, (my cats) are like my kids. I don’t see the choice to provide them up.”

Justine Lorch

Whereas cats and canines are nonetheless the extra widespread animals surrendered on account of housing points, Travis mentioned the variety of rabbits being surrendered has considerably elevated.

General, the shelter has seen a rise typically consumption over the previous couple of years and expects it to proceed climbing sooner or later, mentioned Travis.

“Earlier to my beginning on the shelter, we’d see between 1,100 and 1,300 a 12 months,” she mentioned.

“Final 12 months, we noticed our highest ever on report in our almost 50 years of companies (with over) 1,500 animals.”

Travis mentioned they surpassed that quantity this week, with six extra weeks left to the 12 months. Fortunately, although, she mentioned the shelter has a excessive turnover charge for animals, as they’re usually rapidly adopted.

Promote a pet

Whereas having pet protections within the new Residential Tenancy Act would have helped guarantee tenants may stick with their furry companions, with that modification being voted down on Nov. 8, Travis mentioned tenants must “go to bat” for his or her animals.

“Giving your landlord each motive to appreciate how great you already know your pet is may make a distinction for you,” she mentioned.

“Speaking to potential landlords about your cat and saying I’d love you to satisfy my cat or canine or offering references from previous landlords who can attest to your animal’s behaviour can actually make a distinction,” she mentioned.

“In lots of conditions, landlords have been burned up to now by unhealthy experiences with animals of their rental unit, so giving them the chance to see how great your pet is may make all of the distinction.”

For Lorch, she mentioned she wish to see landlords change into extra open-minded when renting out items and take animals on a case-by-case foundation.

“You understand, placing a little bit extra effort into it, as an alternative of simply saying no to pets fully,” she mentioned.