Samantha Motion: It's not fair to say renters just shouldn't get pets

Studies have shown numerous health benefits associated with pet ownership. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

A search on Trade Me this week for rentals in the Bay of Plenty turned up 357 results.

Checking the "Pets OK" box, however, whittles that figure down to a measly 35 - and it's really only 33 because two were just holiday rentals.

Just under half of the listings wanted more than $600 a week for their pet-friendly paradises and some had conditions for furry friends - cats OK but no dogs; dogs preferred over cats; small pets only.

Slim pickings out there, then, for the 64 per cent - according to the New Zealand Companion Animal Council - of Kiwis who own a pet.

Our cat ownership rates are amongst the highest in the world, and the National Dog Database 2019 counts 565,757 registered dogs in Aotearoa - one for about every eight people.

Last week a Rotorua grandmother described scrolling rental listings with tears in her eyes trying to find somewhere for herself, her two grandchildren and their "therapy pets" - a cat and a dog - to live.

Another woman in the city, Pauline Harris, considered putting down her beloved dog Jet because of her struggle to find a rental with him.

Both cases had happy endings, with pet-friendly homes found, but not without a lot of stress and heartache.

If you're a renter in New Zealand it is probably not a responsible decision to get a pet because that is the cold, hard fact of the situation and the way the system is weighted.

But is it fair to deny all the benefits of pet ownership to people just because they are part of the growing population of Kiwis who will be life-long renters?

Studies have shown numerous health benefits of owning a pet, including lower stress and increased fitness. They help kids learn empathy and can also provide home security.

The last census found that just under a third of New Zealanders are renters and that rentals are getting more crowded. Homeownership rates were down and the number of empty homes was up.

With demand for rentals continuing to outstrip supply in the Bay of Plenty, landlords can afford to be picky when it comes to tenants and say no to pets.

It's a landlord's right to be risk-averse and protect their investment, but their fears seem to be based on worst-case scenarios that would bear little resemblance to the normal wear and tear reality of pets in homes.

Cutting pet owners out also ignores a segment of the tenancy market that is generally willing to pay more and stay longer.

In March this year, the Australian state of Victoria made it a whole lot easier for renters to own pets.

Landlords now need reasonable grounds to refuse a tenant's request to get a pet and must also convince an independent body.

A change like that here would certainly help even out the property playing field but until then, responsible renters have little option but to go it alone.