This is a petition to stop draconian restrictions by landlords and owners' corporations that stop renters having the ability to have their pets stay with them. In NSW, Renters have less rights than our counterparts in VIC, and it's time this changes.

VIC 

In VIC, the onus is on the rental provider (landlord) to provide a practical reason as to why the property is not suitable to house a particular pet, and this must be approved by "the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)".

VCAT may order that, either:

• The rental provider's refusal is reasonable and/or the pet is excluded from the property, or
• The renter can keep the pet on the rental property.
• If the rental provider does not apply to VCAT within 14 days of receiving the written request, consent is taken to have been granted for the renter to keep a pet on the property.

A year on from these laws, many of the outcomes have been less animals ending up in sheetlers and only 1 out of 340 applications lodged to VCAT being finalised and in favour of the landlord. RSPCA Victoria figures show the number of animals surrendered to shelters due to their owner moving house had more than halved annually, to 98 last year, since the law came into effect.

NSW

In NSW, owners' corporations are prevented from making blanket bans on preventing landlords or renters from having a pet on the property, however, it certainly doesn't stop them from having rules such as small dogs etc.

In my opinion, as renters we pay thousands of dollars each year to enjoy the property at our discretion. If we pay a bond which landlords can access, or agree to pay any damages to common property, then it's really not up to the landlord or owners' corporation to stipulate that smaller animals are more appropriate than larger animals. If a renter's lifestyle means they are walking the dogs 2-3 times a day, and the dog is very well trained, then how does a larger dog pose more of a threat to others than a smaller dog.

The onus should be on the landlord or the owners' corporation, to prove why it's impractical for a dog to stay in a home, given many factors like the renters' character, lifestyle, working arrangements (WFH) and the dog's demeanour. 

Mental Health

We are all currently going through a hard time with lockdowns, and mental health is a major issues. I know that the ability to have dogs or cats without discrimation, would improve not only the fate of pets in NSW ending up at shelters, but it would vastly improve the mental health of thousands going through very tough times right now.

The aim of this petition is to get conversations about pets and renters' rights, kickstarted!