Nearly 19,000 people demand pets in council and social homes

Nearly 19,000 people have rallied behind a charity’s call to extend the Renters’ Rights Bill provision to allow pets in private lets to be extended to council and social housing. 

In January, the Dogs Trust unveiled a petition to overhaul the inconsistent rules surrounding pet ownership in social homes.  

The charity has written to Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, to extend the right of pet owners to keep a pet in their social sector rented home. 

Under the Bill, landlords in the private rented sector cannot unreasonably deny a request from a tenant to keep pets – and the campaign wants that to be the case for social landlords too. 

Barriers to pet owners 

The charity’s chief executive, Owen Sharp, said: “Across the country, pet owners seeking social housing and those already in social housing who would like to get a pet face innumerable barriers, and even have to make the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved family member to get a safe place to live.  

“For some pet owners, their dogs represent the only family they have. 

“While some social housing providers are already making fantastic strides in becoming pet-friendly, finding pet-friendly social housing remains a lottery.” 

He added: “We need a baseline for all social housing providers, enshrined in legislation that allows all tenants to request a pet without that request being unreasonably refused by their landlord or social housing provider.  

“We are pleased that an amendment on this has already been tabled in the House of Lords, and we hope that this will receive wide-ranging support.” 

Pet-accepting home 

In its letter, Dogs Trust says it wants an end to the unpredictable availability of pet-accepting homes in the social sector.  

The charity highlights a huge disparity: while private renters may soon enjoy greater flexibility, social housing tenants remain excluded from the same opportunity. 

Dogs Trust has championed improved living options for Britain’s pet lovers and last year it fielded more than 45,000 requests to rehome dogs. 

Around one in seven of those were linked to housing issues – usually the scarcity of landlords willing to accommodate animals. 

Progress for private tenants 

The charity also says that while the Bill marks progress for private tenants, it falls short of tackling the broader shortage of animal-friendly rentals.  

Dogs Trust is pushing for collaboration between government, private landlords and social housing bodies to foster confidence in renting to pet owners, ensuring they aren’t unfairly penalised in their search for a home. 

A joint study by Dogs Trust and Cats Protection revealed a disconnect in the private sector: while 46% of landlords claim they welcome pets, just 30% of renters say their agreements reflect this.  

In more than a third of refusals, landlords relied on blanket policies or generic templates, bypassing case-by-case judgement. 

Dogs Trust provides practical guidance for tenants and landlords alike on its website, Lets with Pets.