Winnipeg Humane Society survey finds 50% of pet owners have been denied housing because of pets

According to a new survey conducted by the Winnipeg Humane Society, numbers show that pet owners in Manitoba face significant barriers in finding rental housing. The Winnipeg Humane Society claims it’s become almost a crisis point in Canada.

The survey was taken by more than 300 people, with more than half of the participants saying they were unable to apply for accommodations because of explicit or no pet policies, while 12 per cent had to rehome or give up their pet to rent housing.

“In Manitoba, that we have been informed by the Property Managers Association of Manitoba that only about 20-40 per cent of rental units allow pets. So, you can see there is a really, a huge shortage of pet-friendly housing,” said Krista Boryskavich, the director of animal advocacy and legal and government affairs for the WHS.

“We just really want to keep families together.”

The human society says the lack of pet-inclusive housing in Manitoba is the second-highest reason for pet surrender at their shelter. They collected this data and stories from Manitobans to see how this issue is affecting them.

According to WHS, one person said they were forced to put their senior dog down so they could get an apartment.

Boryskavich herself has had her own struggles in the past when it came to her pet.

“Sam, my cat, was coming with me to those apartments, but I would have to hide him. Property managers didn’t know that I had a pet, and I’m very lucky that nobody ever discovered him or that I wasn’t evicted from my apartment because I had a pet,” she explained.

In a statement to CityNews, Manitoba Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Bernadette Smith said: “The path to removing barriers in housing lies with increasing the housing stock and our government is committed to that path, both by adding Manitoba Housing units, encouraging the non-profit sector with funds available through Housing Starts Here, and encouraging the private market with the Rental Housing Construction Incentive to build more housing.”

For more on the survey, visit the Winnipeg Humane Society website.