P.E.I. government votes not to give tenants the legal right to have pets in rentals

The provincial government has voted down an amendment to the province's Residential Tenancies Act that would have given tenants the legal right to have animals in their rental homes. 

Before the vote, Green MLA Karla Bernard said if the government passed the amendment, it would show they understand what tenants are going through when it comes to trying to keep their animals with them. 

"This is about people's well-being. And we know very well that animals are part of the family. And we also understand there's two sides to this story," said Bernard. 

Housing and Social Development Minister Matthew MacKay voted against the amendment but said he would support whatever the assembly's majority decided on. 

"I don't want to force a landlord to do something that they're not comfortable with doing," MacKay said before the vote. 

At the moment, it's at a landlord's discretion whether or not to allow pets in their rentals. 

The P.E.I. Humane Society has seen a 134 per cent increase in the number of animal surrenders this year. 

"Every day, we see animals surrendered to our shelter because pet owners are forced to choose between being able to keep a roof over their heads or keep a pet they love dearly," the society's Ashley Travis wrote in an email following the vote. 

"Today's decision means more of the same for us moving forward and for years to come," wrote Travis. 

In an interview earlier this week, Bernard said she was advocating for the change on social media. 

"We've heard from so many people who are in situations right now that have led to housing insecurity because they weren't able to have their pets," Bernard said. 

"We hear it increasingly, and it surprised me actually how many people are choosing to live in their cars, live in their tents because that's where they can have their pets."

The P.E.I. Humane Society said previously that it would like to see a provision in the P.E.I. Residential Tenancy Act similar to what Ontario introduced in 2006 — which prevents landlords from disallowing tenants to have pets. 

"Pets, we know, are more than just animals, they're loved ones, they're part of a family and they offer huge emotional supports for people," Bernard said. "Who doesn't want that?"

'I'm really struggling with this one'

Earlier this week, Housing and Social Development Minister Matthew MacKay said he sees both the tenants' and landlords' arguments. 

"I'm really struggling with this one, because you'll have someone who has their lifelong friend as a pet that wants to take with them and then you'll have another individual that has seven dogs," MacKay said. "Every situation is different and this is where I'm really struggling on this one because there's not an easy path forward on this."

MacKay said other things to consider are the damage a pet may cause to a unit, other tenants' allergies, what type of animals would be considered pets — MacKay said he's been asked about potbelly pigs — as well as people who may be fearful of dogs.

"There's a whole bunch of issues, there's not an easy path and we're trying to work through them," he said.

"This is where I think the landlords need to have some of the discretion, this is their units. Certainly if they feel that they're comfortable with allowing pets in their apartment, I'll certainly support that, I just don't think I should be the one forcing them and telling them to do so."