Currently, many renters across Scotland face significant barriers when trying to secure pet-friendly accommodation. Alarmingly, around 15% of handover enquiries received by Dogs Trust cite accommodation issues as the reason for needing to rehome their dog.

Dogs Trust, which rehomed more than 600 dogs across Scotland last year, has welcomed the inclusion of pet-friendly provisions in the Bill, which completed Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament last week. Crucially, this will give tenants in both the private and social rented sectors the right to request to keep a pet in their property without fear of the request being unreasonably refused by their landlord or housing provider. The Bill also includes a time limit within which a landlord must respond to a tenant’s request to keep a pet. 

The charity is particularly pleased that the Scottish legislation has gone further in extending these rights to those in social housing than the Renters’ Rights Bill – which is currently progressing through Westminster. However, Dogs Trust believes stronger protections and clear guidance are needed to ensure no one has to choose between a place to live and their much-loved pet. 

Dogs Trust is now calling on dog owners and supporters across Scotland to write to their MSPs asking them to support amendments to the Bill that will better safeguard the rights of renters with pets. These amendments include:

• A reduction in the number of days in which a landlord should respond to a tenant’s request to keep a pet.  
• A protection that if a landlord fails to respond to a tenant’s request to keep a pet within the response period, it can be treated as unreasonable refusal, which would allow a tenant to make an appeal.
• The inclusion of pet ownership as a provision under a written tenancy agreement once consent to keep a pet has been granted. 

To write to your MSP, visit the website.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust, said: “The Housing (Scotland) Bill is a huge step forward in addressing the need for greater availability of pet-friendly accommodation in Scotland. Sadly, the struggle to find suitable accommodation is still very real for many dog owners. Too often, people face the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved pet simply because they can’t find a home that allows dogs.  

“We hope MSPs will support amendments to strengthen the Bill and that once passed, the Bill will mark the start of a culture shift in attitudes towards renting with pets, meaning no one is denied the joys of dog ownership simply because they rent a home.” 

Dogs Trust has also welcomed the decision by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee that guidance must be developed alongside the Bill and hopes that this will provide greater clarity for tenants and landlords around definitions in the Bill. This includes what is ‘reasonable’ grounds for a landlord to deny a tenant’s request to keep a pet and what are ‘reasonable’ conditions for a tenant to be able to keep a pet.