In September, the government announced that the Renters’ Rights Bill would give responsible pet owners in England’s private rental sector the right to request permission to keep a pet, with landlords unable to unreasonably deny these requests. However, this legislation does not include social housing tenants.

In a letter sent to Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Dogs Trust urges the government to extend these rights to tenants in social housing. This letter has gathered 18,800 countersignatures in support.

In Scotland, measures in the upcoming Housing Bill will allow a renter to make a request to keep a pet in their home and for that to not be unreasonably refused by their landlord. Currently, it is entirely up to the landlord whether a tenant can keep a pet, and they must be given written permission to do so

For many years, Dogs Trust has fought for better housing options for responsible pet owners. In 2024, the charity received over 45,000 handover inquiries, with around 15% of those citing housing-related issues, especially the struggle to find pet-friendly accommodation. Many pet owners are forced to make the heartbreaking choice of rehoming their pets due to the lack of suitable housing.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust, said: “Across the country, pet owners seeking social housing and those already in social housing who would like to get a pet face innumerable barriers, and even have to make the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved family member to get a safe place to live. For some pet owners, their dogs represent the only family they have.

“While some social housing providers are already making fantastic strides in becoming pet-friendly, finding pet-friendly social housing remains a lottery.

“This must change. We need a baseline for all social housing providers, enshrined in legislation that allows all tenants to request a pet without that request being unreasonably refused by their landlord or social housing provider. We are pleased that an amendment on this has already been tabled in the House of Lords, and we hope that this will receive wide-ranging support.”

While the new rights, which, if passed, would be granted to private tenants under the Renters’ Rights Bill, are a step forward, they would fail to address the overall shortage of pet-friendly rental properties. Dogs Trust is urging the government to work with both the private and social housing sectors to build confidence in renting to pet owners and ensure they are not disadvantaged when looking for suitable housing.

Research by Dogs Trust and Cats Protection found that while 46% of private landlords say they allow pets, only 30% of tenants report that their tenancy agreements permit dogs. In over a third of cases where pets were prohibited, landlords based their decision on generic advice or used standard templates rather than considering individual circumstances.

Allowing pets in rental properties offers benefits for both tenants and landlords. Studies show that 26% of tenants are more likely to stay longer in a property if they are allowed to keep a pet, providing landlords with greater stability and fewer vacancies.