While a real estate industry insider says she’s never seen an example of a ‘pet bond’, there are calls for landlords to consider the practice, instead of dismissing pets in rentals.
One renter, who only wants to be identified by her first name, Athena, has lived in Queenstown for six years with her family, including two cats and a dog.
She’s now forced to consider relocating to Australia due to the difficulty finding a place for her four-legged whānau amidst the rental housing crisis.
Athena and her family rented a good-sized section in Arthurs Point for four years before the owner moved back from overseas, so they took up residence in a smaller place in Fernhill.
That house is now for sale and, if it stays as a rental, they’ll be looking at an extra $300 a week.
Athena says the current owner’s been really good and they can break the lease before it ends in June if need be, ‘‘but there’s just nothing else available that’s pet-friendly … it’s just so hard’’.
She says neither she nor her wife want to leave Queenstown, and it’s especially heart-wrenching with a teenaged daughter who wants to stay, but pet-friendly rentals are as rare as hen’s teeth.
‘‘We have offers for people to take our pets, who live here and can have pets on their property, but they’re our family.
‘‘Leaving them behind is not an option.’’
Remarkable Vets’ Anna Harding-Shaw says she knows of one person planning to camp in a tent with his dog till he could find pet-friendly accommodation, while Remarkable Vets is finding it harder to adopt animals out, for the same reason.
Harding-Shaw adds it ‘‘would be great’’ if there was more flexibility from landlords, including perhaps specific ‘pet bonds’ or owner requirements, instead of a straight ‘no’.
