Bob the bird will be part of a new pet ownership trial at Whanganui pensioner housing complexes in Whanganui.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Bob the bird will be part of a new pet ownership trial at Whanganui pensioner housing complexes in Whanganui.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Pets will now be allowed at three Whanganui pensioner housing complexes as part of a year-long trial.
The trial follows a review of Whanganui District Council's long-standing policy of not allowing pets in pensioner housing which caused a stir in 2019 when some residents were asked to rehometheir pet birds or face a 90-day eviction notice.
The council said there had been a complaint about bird breeding in one of the flats.
Resident Denise Alsop, who spoke out on behalf of residents at the time, said the policy was "unfair".
"I just got a bee in my bonnet and wanted to do something," she said.
"I just thought it wasn't fair because I'd already had to give up the two cats we had when my husband died and my budgie Henry wasn't noisy or messy."
The council then agreed residents who had pet birds would be able to keep them while a review was conducted.
A council tenant survey in 2020 found 68 per cent were in favour of allowing birds, 56.6 per cent thought cats would be okay but 70 per cent opposed the idea of dogs being allowed.
A report to council's Strategy and Finance Committee said although there were pros and cons with regard to allowing pets, it was considered the benefits to tenant wellbeing of having a pet should be given weight.
The trial will allow residents to keep fish, birds, or a cat in the three facilities.
The budgie Alsop had in 2019, Henry, has since died but she has a new feathered friend - a canary named Bob.
Henry the budgie and his owner Denise Alsop raised concerns about pensioners being able to keep pets in council housing.
Photo / Lewis Gardner
"He's just a baby and still finding his voice," Alsop said.
"I wasn't sure if I was allowed another bird but it was too hard being without one."
Bob will be allowed to stay as the Puriri St complex where he lives with his owner is one of three selected for the pet trial.
The other two complexes are the Eugene Crotty and Walter Nash flats.
The allowance for pets will be reviewed after one year when appropriate amendments will be made depending on the outcome of the trial.
Councillor Josh Chandulal-Mackay said the trial was good news and represented "democracy in action".
Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said the understanding that pets were beneficial to people's wellbeing is "not rocket science".
Owners at the facilities will need to sign a pet care agreement, which provides the pet's information including its vet, and the name of a pet contact person who can be called on to look after the pet if necessary.
The agreement requires that the resident care for the pet, keep the pet compliant with all bylaws around the keeping of pets, and be responsible for cleaning up after and repairing all damage to the unit caused by the pet.
