Unlocking millions of homes for pets in England

The UK is a nation of pet lovers – 60 per cent of us own a pet.¹ However, almost 20 per cent of us also rent in England.² Without legal protections for pet ownership, many tenants face heartbreaking choices, sometimes forced to give up their pets.

At present, landlords can impose a blanket ban on pets, with no consideration or justification required for refusal. Only 7 per cent of rental properties are listed by landlords as pet-friendly despite 76 per cent of tenants in the private rented sector  owning or aspiring to own a pet.³

Battersea has seen first-hand the impact that this disparity has had on pet homelessness. The second most common reason animals are brought to Battersea is housing issues. Time and time again, we see that families are caught in a cycle of being forced to rehome loved cats and dogs because of blanket bans on pets for rental properties.

This happened to eight-year old dog, Polo. He was brought to Battersea after his owner had to relocate but struggled to find a rental property that allowed pets. Faced with no other option, they made the difficult decision to give up Polo. While Polo has since been re-homed, had the law been different, neither Polo nor his previous owners would have faced this situation.

The benefits of pet ownership extend far beyond companionship. Studies show that having a pet can significantly improve both mental and physical well-being. Research
sponsored by Mars Petcare estimates that pet ownership saves the NHS around £2.45bn per year, with pet owners making 15 per cent fewer visits to the doctor for health-related issues.⁴

Fortunately, this has been recognised by government and action has been taken. Provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill have gone a long way to support the case for pets in the private ented sector, allowing tenants the right to request a pet and restricting blanket bans on pets.

But while Mars Petcare and Battersea welcome these provisions, we believe that the current legislation is not watertight. With loopholes  remaining, it risks falling short of its intentions.

First, while the Bill currently prevents landlords from giving “unreasonable refusal”, “unreasonable” can be interpreted far too broadly – meaning anything from a personal dislike of cats to a generalised fear of a dog barking would give legitimate grounds for refusal.

Secondly, the Bill does not clarify whether a landlord’s decision to allow pets can be upheld for the duration of the tenancy – putting renters in a state of precarity by allowing permission to be revoked at any time.

Thirdly, the Bill does not protect families with a pet from being pushed out of consideration when seeking a new home. This allows landlords the ability to effectively enforce a ban on pets when seeking new tenants.

We firmly believe that the law should provide greater clarity on these key points,  enabling more pets to find loving homes and preventing owners from having to make the heartbreaking decision to choose between their pet and their home. As the Bill enters scrutiny in the House of Lords, we are calling on peers to consider our amendments to make a lasting difference to pets and pet owners.

1. Pet Food UK, Pet Data Report 2024
2. English Private Landlord Survey 2024
3. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Private Rented Sector 2022
4. S. Hall, L. Dolling, K. Bristow, T. Fuller, D. Mills, Companion animal economics: the economic impact of companion animals in the UK. Research report 2016

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