One Answer

[Steve]

Rental with Pet Issues.

Is anyone interested in coming in on a small working party to address this on a more grand scale?

You wont have to move from your computers if you dont want to and teh MDBA wil do the hard stuff but Im just too busy right now to get it done quickly and Im in a hurry ? Before you put your hand up Im going to be calling for lots of these sub groups to be formed to get through it all so if there is another subject you would like to save yourself for think about that. Im looking ofr people who are passionate that this is a major issue and that it needs to have action and movement in this area.

[poochmad]

Sounds interesting. Can you give a few more details, i.e. what's involved?

[Lhok]

I would be interested in it

--Lhok

[Kirov_grrl]

Steve, I know the manager/person in charge of the Cat Haven in Perth was strongly pushing the Real Estate board (or whatever it is called) into making some changes in regards to pets and rentals.

She felt that less pets would be dumped/surrendered if people were allowed more options in rentals.

I haven't spoken to her in quite a while, but your topic just triggered my memory...

[littlebear]

I'm interested in helping

[Steve]

hang on and Ill give us a special little spot where we we can talk about this

[Di*]

hang on and Ill give us a special little spot where we we can talk about this

Steve

Barking Mad has been doing some work in relation to dogs and renting. Not sure if you are aware of them or if you are thinking of doing something different.

Di

[indigirl]

Ive always allowed my tennants to have pets - even after one tenannts cats managed to infest the yard with fleas grrr lol.

[Steve]

I cant see what Barking mad are doing re renting with animals - can you fill us in a bit.?

[Di*]

I cant see what Barking mad are doing re renting with animals - can you fill us in a bit.?

I'm not a member but I understand they have been challenging the legality of tenancy agreements which prevent resident pets. Here's a link to info Renting

If there are shared goals, it might be worth exploring further/sharing information/resources even if different strategies are ultimately followed.

Di

[Steve]

I cant see what Barking mad are doing re renting with animals - can you fill us in a bit.?

I'm not a member but I understand they have been challenging the legality of tenancy agreements which prevent resident pets. Here's a link to info Renting

If there are shared goals, it might be worth exploring further/sharing information/resources even if different strategies are ultimately followed.

Di

Im not that fussed on Barking mad because I dont think being a rebel and challenging laws etc is the answer.

Im thinking of coming at it from a different angle. I dont want the MDBA to be seen as a bunch of rednecks.

[Perry's Mum]

The laws on pets and renting have recently changed a bit in Canberra to make it more difficult for body corporates to say no but I think individual landlords still can. i must admit that when I was a landlord I would not let people have dogs unless they could guarantee no damage to my beautiful garden.

I could be interested Steve - tell us more.

[♪♫LMBC♫♪]

I think this sounds pretty interesting...

[Nic.B]

Miahael Linke (RSPCA ACT) worked directly with the planning dept and personally lobbied their Minister re this issue.

There was also a lot of help and support locally from people with pets.

The new laws simply make it illegal to have a no pets policy. Pets can still be refused of course, but due reason needs to be proved. There is also an appeal mechanism.

There is no longer a balnket ban, and their is some equity.

[Steve]

Miahael Linke (RSPCA ACT) worked directly with the planning dept and personally lobbied their Minister re this issue.

There was also a lot of help and support locally from people with pets.

The new laws simply make it illegal to have a no pets policy. Pets can still be refused of course, but due reason needs to be proved. There is also an appeal mechanism.

There is no longer a balnket ban, and their is some equity.

Im not interested in pushing for law changes - that may come much much later but we have some ideas which will work it from the other end.

Im reluctant to speak about the finer details publicly until we are further down the line and ready to splash it around a bit and get some umph behind it.

One arm will look at how to help the tenant find pet friendly accommodation more easily and the other aimed at landlords - so that its a revolution rather than trying to give the landlord no choices - because that will never work. There's no way that as a landlord Im going to have to allow people to own pets and rent my house if I dont want to and I see pushing for laws which will try to do this a complete waste of time. If someone else wants to go that way - good for them but for me its redneck stuff and not based in reality and the MDBA will not be part of that strategy.

We need people who can do a bit of research and write articles which will be proof read and checked for grammar spelling and presentation etc we also will need brochures designed and someone who knows a bit about media and marketing. That will do for now but there will be more.

Im going to ask Troy for a private little forum which only those who are going to be working on this will be able to see - if thats not O.K. then we will set up something like that on the MDBA site.

[sas]

Would be interested

[~Anne~]

I am always happy to help Julie, although my time is limited these days.

[jacqui835]

Earlier this year, my circumstances changed dramatically and I was forced to move with no notice. I wasn't prepared to even consider giving up my dog, and so I began searching for a place to live whilst working and trying to complete my last year of uni. I was staying with my sister, and then with friends, each for a couple of nights before moving on. I was only looking for a new place for about 2 months, but it felt like forever, and it was hugely stressful. There were next to no dog friendly rentals, and of those, none allowed large dogs. In the beginning, I was honest, and when I submitted applications I told them I had a doberman. I specified that he had completed advanced obedience and all the rest of it, but I don't believe anyone looked past the breed. So I started lying, claiming I had a mixed medium sized dog, and I started getting short-listed, but always, despite excellent references (for me and the dog) and good job security/money, I was passed over for what I considered to be less reliable tenants sans pets (I was looking in pretty dodgey areas because I thought I'd have better/some luck there). I consider myself very lucky, because in the end, I found a place where the previous tenants were breaking lease, so it needed to be filled quickly (all about checking every single rental site and paper lol every day), and the landlord prefers dogs to children. It was me vs a couple with 2 young kids, and I got it. But I'm paying close to $600/wk, for a 2 bedroom semi, when the other side of the semi, which is virtually identical, save some superficial details, are paying closer to $500. It's illegal to charge pet owners more, but, I think that's the only way now that pet owners get considered - we're easy to take advantage of.

I don't know how you resolve the issue, but I don't think changing the laws will actually fix it. Thing is, so long as the rental market favours the landlords and they have lots of options to pick from, pet owners just won't be chosen, because of the stigma that exists against them.

We're about to move back to SA and buy a house. It seems today that if you want a pet, you need to own your own home, which is crazy, because pets provide so many benefits and can be wonderful additions to society, and my dog hasn't done anything to the house. Or you live in crazy rich areas (we have a family friend who lives in Woollahra, pays $9000 +/month and has undeclared pets which the landlords are aware of but they just don't care. But for most of us that's just a tad out of reach...

To be honest, if I were able to try and fix this issue, I would focus more on developing a system which enabled dogs to be distinguished from each other based on how well-trained and how well looked after they are. I would implement some sort of recognition program, and incentives for people to carry out this training/socialisation and look after their animals properly, such as maybe letting them access beaches and parks that other dogs without these certifications could not. Make it like the GAP greyhound thing, like the ones that have passed the tests get special collars or whatever. Charge pet owners nominal fees to fund the program - they'll pay it, everyone knew when they took a pet on it would cost them money, and in a program like this one, it's easy to see the benefits. In the long run, it will cost us less because we won't be paying $100/wk more just for our dog. Then everyone will learn that if the dog has these certificates, it's better than children and unlikely to cause damage, so all of us will find it much easier to find places to live and enjoy our dogs in public. With the same stone, you should also be able to cut back on poor dog ownership as people realise what is required, and find it more difficult and unacceptable to have a poorly behaved dog.

Definitely a big issue, sorry for my novel but it's one that has hugely affected me.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

laws wont change this because how can you tell someone who has an investment how to use it, makes no sense. they will find other ways to get control back and some may even sell the investment property creating another problem.

attitudes need to change and we need to help landlords see that people with pets have attributes that they want.

[Steve]

I'm quite sure that laws wont help this issue.

So far I have

poochmad

little Bear

Perry's Mum

sas

Anne

Jaxx's Buddy

Goldchow

Me

This is how it will work - Troy has given us a private spot to get this started where only those who have said they would like to have a go at finding and working on real solution which come to action will be able to have accesss to.When you log in you will have access to this but no one else will.

Thats because we will know we only have people who are wanting to help us find a solution and we dont get way laid by somone trying to stir and to enable us to come to some plans of action - get it all ready and moving before we share it . The only condition is that we leave any ideas of law change at the door.

Anyone else before I give the list to Troy?