Testimony Requested for Pets in Housing Act
Like many major cities, Washington, D.C., is grappling with a housing affordability crisis. An estimated one in seven renters has fallen behind on their rent, while many residents spend more than half of their incomes on housing.
If you have a pet in DC you face a challenge of a different order of magnitude. Exorbitant pet deposits, add on fees, and rent surcharges for pet friendly apartments present overwhelming barriers for families trying to find a place to live with their pets.
A national report on pet-inclusive housing underscores this reality:
72% of residents report that pet-friendly housing is hard to find.
59% say it is too expensive.
Only 8% of pet-friendly properties are free of breed or size restrictions.
This issue wreaks havoc on far too many people and animals, and we see its impact regularly in the lobbies of our shelters. On each day of the year, at least one DC resident comes through our doors – most often in tears – to hand over their beloved pet.
They walk out the door feeling like they have failed. Most of them fought a sustained and valiant battle to prevent this day from coming. They carry a deep grief – much as we do when a pet dies, and we return to an empty home. We don’t talk enough about this grief, and its ripple effects on a life and a community.
And they leave behind frightened, confused, and traumatized pets who often run after them. Our staff absorb the pain of these family breakdowns each and every day. It is an unnecessary and preventable tragedy for everyone involved.
The Pets in Housing Act offers an elegant solution to an entrenched and broken system. This
legislation provides a humane, equitable pathway to housing for more D.C. pet owners by:
Improving Affordability for Renters by capping pet rent at $25 per month; eliminating non-refundable costs like pet move-in fees; and setting a ceiling of $300 on pet security deposits. These barriers prevent many people from owning pets, and an alarming 14% of Americans have had to surrender their pets due to changing housing circumstances. Over the past five years 1,902 animals have been relinquished to HRA because of landlord restrictions and/or housing issues. With the passage of this legislation, we can preserve families like these in the future.
Providing Safer and More Humane Options for unhoused pet owners by ensuring there is at least one pet friendly homeless shelter in the District where people can stay with their pets. Having a low barrier human shelter provides dignity and humanity to unhoused people who rely on their pets for love, acceptance, and companionship. Oftentimes, people will not enter a shelter on a cold night because they refuse to leave the only family they have. We should not ask or expect them to make an impossible choice between keeping themselves safe or staying with their beloved animal.
Eliminating Discrimination by prohibiting landlords from imposing breed, weight, and size restrictions on pet-friendly rental units.
Breed bans further complicate matters since restrictions on dogs like pit bulls, German shepherds, and boxers contribute to exclusionary housing practices that disproportionately affect people of color. We know that a 120+ pound Great Dane is usually a calm and quiet apartment dog, so weight limits don’t make sense. We know from experience that breed and size have nothing to do with apartment maintenance or safety. It is a false measure.
We are grateful for Councilmember Robert White for his leadership and resolve in bringing forth this legislation. We look forward to continuing our work alongside the GW University Law School Animal Welfare Project, DC Voters for Animals, and a consortium of advocates who came together to develop and promote this vital legislation.
Our entire community is diminished whenever someone is forced to relinquish a beloved pet over a resource issue. The passage of this legislation will level the playing field; allow animals and people to live more stable lives; and mark DC as a progressive city that will attract young pet owners looking for a launching pad for their lives and careers. I would like to invite all of our supporters to join us in doing everything in our power to support the passage of this legislation.
The D.C. Council also welcomes written testimony. Submit your written testimony using this online submission form. The deadline to submit written testimony is Tuesday, October 15. Together, we can help pass the Pets in Housing Act and ensure a brighter future for pets and their families in D.C.