Pets

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Cats, dogs, birds and even fish, for many of us they are our closest companions, however, under some strata's rules pets are not allowed.

However, new laws have been introduced to make it easier than ever to include pets in your apartment.

But beyond that, there are developments that welcome pets with open arms and even facilitate pet living and lifestyles.

Here are 4 incredible Melbourne apartments which welcome your pets:

1. Voyager, Docklands 
Address: 103 South Wharf Drive, Docklands VIC 3008 
Two-bedroom apartments from $706,500

[smartcode_project:default project_id=3494]

Voyager, a chic residential tower delivered by Mirvac, is a new development set within the master-planned Yarra’s Edge precinct.

The harbourside precinct, set to be home to over 3,000 people, boasts over 1,000 sqm of fine dining and retail, a state-of-the-art wellness centre, parklands and marina berths.

Voyager boasts an abundance of premium amenities, designed for residents and their guests to entertain or retreat. The residence’s waterfront location offers sensation views of the Melbourne CBD.

The 315 contemporary apartments contain versatile floor plans available to suit any lifestyle or companion!

2. Folia, Doncaster 
Address: 59 Stables Circuit, Doncaster VIC 3108 
One-bedroom apartments from $400,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=22584]

Situated on Doncaster Road, Folia forms part of Mirvac’s larger master-planned community, Tullamore.

Achieving the highest environmental certification in Australia, the development has achieved a six-leaf EnviroDevelopment accreditation, thanks to its many sustainable features.

These include a 70kWh solar panel array, renewable energy and battery storage and the possibility of including a Tesla Powerwall II battery within each residence. 

The broader development site also boasts 20 per cent of open, green space, so there's plenty of space to play with your furry companions

3. Sky Garden, Glen Waverley 
Address: 227 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley VIC 3150 
Two-bedroom apartments from $668,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2881]

Sky Garden, the latest development by the diversified property group Golden Age, spans three towers across the new and improved The Glen shopping centre in Melbourne's Glen Waverley.

Famed architecture firm Rothelowman designed the three apartment buildings, soaring 12, 13 and 20 levels and homing 555 one, two and three-bedroom apartments,

The apartment development is part of the $430 million Glen redevelopment which completed construction in December 2020.

Sky Garden features over 4,000 square metres of internal and external facilities with one of the most impressive features unsurprisingly being the garden in the sky.

The Sky Garden has sun lounges, a bar and kitchen for entertaining, a kids playground, veggie gardens, large lawns with water features and private dining and seating sanctuaries to unwind. The Sky Garden is located above the podium levels linking each tower.

4. K1 Residences, Melbourne 
Address: 1 Union Street, Melbourne VIC 3004 
Four-bedroom residences from $2,590,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2772]

For a truly exclusive pet palace, there is K1 Residences, delivered by the rapidly growing Optimus Developments, it is made up of 13 whole floors, four-bedroom apartments with gun-barrel views across Albert Park.

With architecture by award-winning DE atelier Architect, design details include spacious garden balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows doors and oversized bathrooms.

Interior design is from Bergman and Co, while landscape architects Aspect Studios handled K1’s gardens, a defining element of the building. Plus with Albert Park just across the road, it's a short walk for some fresh air with your pets.

The 175 sqm apartments come in a variety of four-bedroom configurations which is attractive for the downsizer market who are taking advantage of the soaring housing market by cashing in.

There are a number of curved balconies in each apartment which make for a striking facade.
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Cats, dogs, birds and even fish, for many of us they are our closest companions, however, under some strata's rules pets are not allowed but there are always those that welcome pets with open arms

jordan_55689

Pet friendly palaces: Four Melbourne apartments perfect for pets

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The NSW Government is seeking amendments to the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 that will make pet ownership easier by requiring that by-laws cannot unreasonably prohibit the keeping of an animal on a strata lot.

The amendments follow the recent decision handed down by the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of NSW in Cooper v the Owners - Strata Plan No. 58068 which overturned a by-law in the <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/107001-horizon-darlinghurst-pet-ban-ruled-unconscionable-by-ncat">Darlinghurst highrise block, Horizon</a> that imposed a blanket ban on the keeping of pets.

“Owners should be able to use to use their property as they wish as long as it doesn’t unreasonably interfere with the rights of other owners to enjoy their own home and the common property in their apartment,” Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said.

“For too long common sense has been missing in this debate. 

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24323]

“These amendments provide a sensible solution that balances the rights of pet owners with those of other apartment owners. 

“Importantly, the changes also recognise there will be times when the keeping of a pet may not be appropriate in a complex due to the impact this will have on neighbours or the welfare of the animal.

“These changes are a sensible response to modernise our strata laws by removing outdated, and unfair blanket pets bans where it can be shown that keeping a pet won’t impact other people.”

The NSW Government will now consult with the community to establish clear guidelines on when it will be considered unreasonable for a pet to be kept in a strata complex.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6201]

It intends to finalise regulations within six months, before the new amendments come into force. 

This will also include details of how the new requirements will interact with existing by-laws.

To allow consultation, the government will extend the closing date for submissions to the current statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 until March 7 for anyone wishing to make a submission relating to the keeping of pets. 
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“For too long common sense has been missing in this debate,” Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said.



jchancellor

NSW Government seeks amends to pet ownership in Strata Schemes Management Act 2015

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Australia is a nation of pet owners. Yet as the popularity of apartment living grows, this culture is increasingly at risk from strata regulations that restrict the keeping of animals. Are these laws out of touch?
NSW Fair Trading has released a review of strata regulation. Key changes include a review of model by-laws relating to pet ownership. The proposed by-laws will make it easier for residents to keep pets in a strata scheme, such as an apartment or townhouse.
<h2>What changes are proposed?</h2>
The Strata Schemes Development Act currently incorporates three model by-laws, one of which bans pets. The proposed model by-laws remove this option.
Modifications to retained by-laws are also proposed. For example, a current clause allowing small dogs requires that people “carry the animal when it is on the common property”. The review proposes replacing this with one that doesn’t mention size and requires that owners “supervise the animal when it is on common property”.
The proposed changes are to the model by-laws. Strata communities will still retain the right to adopt by-laws that suit their particular context, including restricting pets.
<h2>Why support the changes?</h2>
Anecdotal evidence suggests that animals are banned from the majority of strata schemes, especially apartment buildings. However, the market appears to be undergoing change.
Growing numbers of pet-friendly apartments are going on sale. It is now not uncommon to see advertisements for apartments that include a picture of a fluffy dog. For developers, pet-friendly status is often part of the sales strategy and is believed to broaden market appeal.
Growing support for pet keeping in strata communities reflects the cultural importance of pet ownership in Australia. More than 60 percent of Australian households include at least one companion animal, with dogs and cats most common. These animals are more than just “pets”: 88 percent of households see them as family members.
Restrictive policies on pets are a real barrier to apartment living. Such rules can force people to consider relinquishing their pets, which can result in euthanasia and be devastating for the owner. Restrictive by-laws also drastically reduce the available market for people trying to sell an apartment.
Pets can be an asset to the whole community. More than just supporting good physical health and wellbeing and acting as a buffer against loneliness, pets have a “ripple effect” on interactions within neighbourhoods; they help to create a sense of community.
My research with dog owners in apartments across Sydney shows this. People I spoke with described having more social interactions with their neighbours after they got a dog. Dogs made people recognisable to their neighbours and served as an ice-breaker, helping people to have “easy conversation” without the feeling of invading someone else’s privacy or personal space.
<h2>I don’t want to live with a barking dog!</h2>
Unsurprisingly, barking dogs are one of the top concerns that people have when they think about allowing pets in apartments. It is important to remember, though, that the vast majority of dogs are not nuisance barkers.
Also, dogs already live across Australia in 39% of households. You wouldn’t even know that most of these dogs were there.
Issues with barking in apartments can be managed in the same way as in detached housing. This involves talking with the owner of the dog and involving the local council if the issue persists.
Importantly, apartments also bring another layer of regulation. The same noise by-laws that can be used to stop your neighbour playing loud music all night also apply to pets.
<h2>What’s wrong with the current rules?</h2>
Existing model by-laws are unnecessarily restrictive. While some are “other regarding”, ensuring that animals do not have negative impacts on the experience of others living in the strata building, many (such as blanket pet bans) are “self-regarding”.
These by-laws do not regulate a specific behaviour that may have impacts on other residents, such as barking. Instead, these are blanket restrictions that limit residents’ choices regardless of whether these would have impacts on others.
The current model by-law that favours small dogs is a good example of an “other regulating” by-law. It also comes with a sting in the tail: some large dogs are behaviourally quite well suited to living in apartment buildings, while some small dogs are high energy and not as suited to this type of living unless kept by someone who is able to meet these energy needs.
The current by-laws therefore risk encouraging some pets that are entirely unsuited to apartment living.
<h2>What else do we need to do?</h2>
Proposed changes to strata regulation in NSW are open for public comment until May 27, 2016. If the changes are adopted, new strata schemes should be encouraged to adopt one of the pet-friendly by-laws. Existing schemes can also be proactive and consider making changes to their by-laws to make them more pet-friendly.
Beyond changes to strata regulation, apartment and urban design that is pet-friendly is needed so that people can live well with companion animals. Design measures such as good sound-proofing, ledges and windows that allow animals to see outside, and pet-friendly open spaces in and around apartment buildings (including gardens and local parks) are good for the wellbeing of people and animals.
We should also support good neighbouring. Recent research, including my own with pet owners, suggests that in many strata communities neighbours make formal complaints about neighbours rather than knocking on the door and having a chat.
Some pet owners claim to be unaware that their pet has been a nuisance to others until they get a letter from the strata committee. This is not only stressful, it also limits the opportunity for people to respond to any issues.
Pet keeping is already widespread in Australia and brings numerous benefits to individuals and communities. Rather than trying to restrict the presence of pets in one type of housing, it is time to think about how we can live well with our companion animals.
Emma Power is senior research fellow, Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney University and author for The Conversation.
She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-power-250930" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

What's a nation of pet owners to do with the rise of apartment living?

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69410/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
As the weather heats up, Australian households won’t just be cranking up the air conditioning for themselves. Some households will be turning it on for their dogs or cats. 
Our research on energy demand and household cooling highlights a recent trend towards air-conditioning rooms or homes for pets. As well as cooling homes occupied by both humans and their furry friends, air conditioners may be left on when dogs or cats are home alone. 
Some pet owners also leave doors and windows open for their dogs and cats to move between indoor and outdoor areas. This means that air conditioners have to work harder and use more energy to maintain indoor temperatures.
Our research is consistent with an emerging international trend towards the “humanisation of pets”, which is contributing to energy use in households. 
A 2013 study released by E.ON UK (a UK power company) on “hot-dogs and thermo-cats” found that more than half (52%) of UK pet owners turn up the heating for their pets when they go out. Some UK households also leave radios or televisions on for pets so that they don’t get lonely when their owners leave the home.
In other areas of everyday life, cats and dogs now play iPad games, eat specialised diets, have heated mats or air-conditioned kennels, and have their own fashion accessories and electronic toys.
The energy impacts of home cooling
On average across Australia, heating and cooling make up 40 percent of our energy use in households, not including hot water. 
Most Australians who live in southern states use cooling in their homes sporadically, turning it on during hot summer afternoons and evenings when they get home from work or other activities. The rapid growth in residential air conditioning for this purpose has been one of the main contributors to Australia’s peak electricity demand, which has increased energy bills.
Trends in pet cooling could change the energy demand for cooling in homes. Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with 63% of households keeping an animal as a pet. 
According to a 2013 report by the Animal Health Alliance, there are 4.2 million pet dogs and 3.3 million pet cats in Australia. Of these, 76% of dogs and 92% of cats are kept exclusively or partly indoors. 
Providing air conditioning for pets during the day when people aren’t at home would raise residential energy demand. It could also extend and possibly increase electricity peaks if more areas of the property (such as kennels or garages) are being cooled for a longer time.
What makes pets hot?
Although cats and dogs differ in their physiology, in general older, sick or overweight pets may be less resilient to the heat. Some breeds may also be more vulnerable than others. 
For example, short-snout dog breeds (Bulldogs, Pekes and Pugs) are more likely to suffer from heatstroke. This also applies to short-faced cats like Persians or exotics. 
Many things can exacerbate heat stress for pets. For example, people living in apartments may find it more difficult to provide cool outdoor spaces for dogs, or to engage in “waterplay”, as recommended by Pets Australia.
How to keep pets cool
Advice on how to keep pets cool varies and is different for cats and dogs. Pets Australia recommends providing cool spaces such as shade, cold tiles or digging holes in the soil. Other examples include giving dogs cool treats like frozen meat, providing lots of water for hydration and stopping exercise. 
Some websites recommend keeping pets inside on hot days, preferably with an air conditioner or fan turned on. Other sites recommend cooling mats or vests such as gel pads, which can be refrigerated or frozen prior to use. 
Murdoch University provides advice on how to recognise heatstroke warning signs, and what to do if you suspect your pet is suffering from heatstroke. The growing market for pet cameras is one way to keep an eye on pets while owners are out of the house. 
What needs to be done?
As climate change continues to increase the severity and duration of heat waves, the incidence of heatstroke in pets is likely to increase too. This applies especially to those living in energy-inefficient housing or with access to poor-quality outdoor environments. 
There is a clear need to seriously consider pet cooling in the design of energy-efficient housing and in energy policy that targets households.
It may also be timely to reconsider pet types and breeds appropriate for the Australian climate. Siberian huskies, for example, prefer cooler climates and may be more likely to suffer from heatstroke than breeds with smooth or short coats.
More research is also needed to understand how Australian households are changing the ways they keep their pets cool, and what can be done to reduce heat stress in pets without increasing energy demand or electricity peaks in homes.
In the meantime there is a range of advice on how to keep pets cool. Many creative solutions are available that don’t require leaving the air conditioner running.
Yolande Strengers is senior research fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yolande-strengers-15350" target="_blank">here</a>.
Cecily Maller is vice chancellor's senior research fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cecily-maller-15732" target="_blank">here</a>. Larissa Nicholls is research fellow, RMIT University, and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/larissa-nicholls-109087" target="_blank">here</a>.
All are authors for The Conversation.
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Hot dogs and cool cats: keeping pets cool without blowing your energy bill

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/64749/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Our cities are more densely packed than ever before, with people and their dogs living in smaller dwellings and vying for increasingly limited public space.
The urban dog has an emerging political identity and, given its place as humanity’s “best friend”, deserves positive consideration in city planning.
No doubt, however, dogs sometimes cause trouble. In public, dogs and their owners can misbehave: dogs roam where they’re not supposed to and owners leave dog mess for others to clean up.
Even within our homes dogs can be perceived as a nuisance: barking, digging, slobbering and annoying neighbours. “Nuisance dogs” are everywhere – even if the dogs aren’t aware of it themselves.
There is an important contrast here: we choose to bring dogs into our urban world, then control them on a tight leash. Local councils aim to balance these two forces through animal management. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work well, which can harm public perceptions of dogs in the community.
We need a critical understanding of animal management to help us help dogs become better urban citizens. This stands to benefit everyone.
<h2>Animal management holds the key</h2>
Most of the more than 4 million dogs in Australia live in the cities and towns where most of the people live. Melbourne, where I undertook my research, is home to around half-a-million dogs. 
Alongside roads and rubbish, animal management is a key function of local government.
Animal management is a mixed bag of three distinct activities: education, compliance and enforcement. These are outlined in each local council’s domestic animal management plan. Such plans are of varying detail and importantly are just that – plans. What happens in practice may be very different.
My recently published research demonstrates that some activities are more effective than others in managing various common nuisances. Understanding the effectiveness of animal management is really important: if we manage the nuisance of dogs well, then they are less trouble to the community and closer to being good canine citizens.
<h2>Carrots and sticks</h2>
Nuisance barking is one of the most common complaints about dogs in the city. The general procedure for resolving complaints is nevertheless quite successful in practice. This involves:
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complainant first raises problem with owner
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if problem continues, complainant gathers evidence and reports to council
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council requires owner to fix the problem
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council and courts enforce the law as a last resort.
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That outcomes for each case differ does not appear to be too important to their overall success. The key to success in enforcement of animal management laws is consistency of process between cases and across councils.
The enforcement of effective control, however, is a mess. There is no agreed definition of what this means – among dog owners, officers, councils and the courts. This makes consistent enforcement nearly impossible.
The final report of the Victorian government’s recent inquiry into restricted‑breed dogs fails to define what “effective control” actually means, despite its central importance to the issue.
RSPCA Victoria argues effective control is an owner’s responsibility. My research supports this, finding that rather than being a tool of compliance, effective control is simply a part of everyday responsible dog ownership.
<h2>Going back to school</h2>
Responsible dog ownership is a learned behaviour.
Public education for schoolchildren is successful. In part, this is because of its focus on a particular demographic that is coincidentally pretty cheap for the government to reach. Schoolkids are a captive and receptive audience and love a visit from the dog-catcher with the friendly mutt. 
As a bonus, the children then educate their parents on how to better interact with dogs.
Researchers from Monash Universityhave nevertheless called for an increased focus on adult education to reduce the rate of hospitalisation from dog bites. 
Such education campaigns are easier said than done. This is because:
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they are expensive to run
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they need to appeal to a very wide audience
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they tend to focus on an individual species to the exclusion of others
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they can take an inordinately long time, often bouncing from one government website to another as governments change, which makes material very hard to find.
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This all adds up to a weak message, which lacks bang for buck.
Public education campaigns that are privately sponsored may ultimately prove more successful. Keep Australia Pet Friendly is a great example. This tackles the trouble of dogs head-on with a message underscoring the net benefits of pet ownership for the community. 
These campaigns may do so out of self-interest – Pet Friendly campaign sponsor Mars Petcare Australia has some obvious skin in the game, for instance. But through a better reach and targeted message they will likely be more effective than similar government programs. 
As dogs are increasingly recognised as having a genuine stake in our cities, we need to look for ways to encourage harmony between the species. Better animal management presents an obvious place to start.
Simon Carter is research fellow in Urban Planning, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-carter-227415" target="_blank">here</a>.
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We need a better understanding of how we manage dogs to help them become better urban citizens

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Workspaces of the future must be designed to be better than any alternative, according to Tim Lovitt, Associate Director of Digital Intelligence, PwC Australia.
He recently suggested said the firm could take up co-working space in future in the new building at Barangaroo. 
“PwC has been experimenting for over a year with co-working space," he said.
"We have diverse partnerships, including Facebook and LinkedIn, tailored to solving specific problems for individual projects.
"This is our focus, and we will build our workspace around that.”
Lovitt said workspaces of the future must be designed to be better than any alternative. 
“Workspaces of the future will need to be incredible spaces that people wish to work in, that are better than the alternatives – such as our lounge rooms or the local coffee shop,” concluded Mr Lovitt. 
He made the comments at Knight Frank Australia's Global Cities: The 2017 Report launch which investigated the future of real estate in the world’s leading cities. 
According to Knight Frank’s Head of Research and Consulting, Australia Matt Whitby, disruption is set to equal demand in the real estate sector. 
“Yes, jobs are being lost across sectors globally due to automation and technology, but humans are getting more interesting careers doing what humans do best – problem solving. This will be similar for property professionals, who need to embrace changes in the sector and the economy and become more advisory – offering greater intelligence and idea generation to clients," he said.
“New jobs being created are offering a flow-on effect into other sectors, including property. For example, the Fintech sector, including cashless payments and other financial technology, has created a complete new industry. This is prompting new demand in other sectors, including real estate. Newly-created, high-value jobs in programming or app design are creating demand for expensive, trendy offices.”
Whitby agreed co-working will be one of the biggest growth sectors in the global city office markets, with Sydney and Melbourne leading the way here in Australia. 
“It will not just be start up, incubator, or collaborative businesses. Demand for co-working space will expand to the large, corporate occupiers who require growth or project space on an as-needed basis.”
Whitby said WeWork is the obvious example as in Sydney, WeWork has gone from zero space six months ago and will occupy 22,000 square metres of space by next year.”
In October WeWork Martin Place opened in the heart of Sydney’s central business district surrounded by Australia's financial institutions in an historic Sydney building, the Moneybox Building.
Designed by WeWork, along with local external consultant TomMarkHenry, the design takes cues from the building’s banking history as the hot desks on the main floor were inspired by the old bank teller desks that can still be seen in the lobby. Murals and paintings from local artists Tristan Kerr and Dina Broadhurst adorn the inside of the building.
Last month WeWork, the space, community and services provider based in New York, opened its second Sydney location, at 100 Harris Street, Pyrmont (above). 
WeWork currently has around 70,000 members, located in 100+ physical locations in 30+ cities and 12 countries around the world.
WeWork Pyrmont is located in a former 100 year old woolstore and presents a unique opportunity for one of WeWork's spaces.
The issue of pets in the office was addressed by Savills International.
"Popularity for bringing <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/blog/article/147357/australia-articles/pets-in-the-office--is-it-just-a-fad-or-a-does-it-deliver-real-benefit-.aspx" target="_blank">pets to the workplace</a> seems to be increasing around the world," it noted.
"In the United States, a 2015 Society for Human Resource Management survey found that 8 percent of American workplaces allowed employees to bring pets to work (up from 5 percent in 2013).
"Within Australia, the uptake for large corporations has not been very high, although the types of companies that have embraced this new fur-friendly culture tend to be creative or industries such as fashion, tech, IT, media and start-ups," the Savills report noted. 
It noted the location of the workplace can also greatly affect the likelihood of the company to include pets in the office.
"We are seeing companies on the city fringe and suburban locations more open to the idea of pets in the office, as there is plenty of space in the surrounding areas for the animals to have a break outside of the office."
Savills wondered did the trend deliver real benefit to your company, or is it just a distraction? 
What are the benefits?
For the employees: Employees who bring their pets to the office often have less stress and a healthier work-life balance
For the workplace: It can be a great improvement to the workplace culture - pets are a great conversation starter and can help strengthen working relationships
For the business: Having pets in the office can encourage employees to stay longer hours and businesses have shown a lower rate of employee absenteeism. Plus, pets in the office can be a drawcard for attracting new employees
For the animals: The animals get benefits too, including being out and about (instead of cooped up at home) and socialising with new people 
Things to consider
When considering drawbacks to having animals in the workplace, the number one concern is usually allergies. Depending on the type of allergy, one way to lessen the trigger of an allergy is to ensure the pets are clean &amp; groomed. Alternatively, employees should set up pet-free zones, or keep their pet close to their own workstations
It’s also important to select the right types of pets to bring into the office – overly animated or energetic animals can serve as a distraction in the workplace  
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Perhaps not pets in the office, but workspaces need to outdo the local coffee shop

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63275/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Pet owners grapple with rental insecurity, new research shows. Despite the popularity of pet ownership across countries such as Australia (where 63 percent of households include a pet), the United States (62 percent) and United Kingdom (46 percent), rental policy rarely recognises pets as important members of households. Instead, landlords and property agents typically restrict the right to keep pets.
Reports from animal welfare organisations suggest these policies make it difficult for pet owners to find rental housing. There is also evidence of connections between rental insecurity and poor animal welfare outcomes.
Research shows that insecure housing, including difficulties finding pet-friendly rental properties, is a key factor driving people to relinquish their pets.
<h2>The ‘no pets’ clause</h2>
My research shows that pet ownership can trigger feelings of housing insecurity for renter households. The research involved an open survey with 679 households that had rented with pets in Sydney, as well as 28 in-depth interviews.
The majority of survey respondents rated finding pet-friendly housing in their suburb as difficult. They perceived that it became more difficult to find rental properties after they acquired their pet.
About half of those who always declared their pets when they applied for properties had been given pet ownership as the reason their application was rejected. These figures are likely to represent only a small proportion of those who have been rejected for pet ownership as reasons for rejection are rarely provided.
The competitive nature of Sydney’s rental market, which gives real estate agents a larger pool of tenants to choose from, was believed to have increased the challenge. A small number of households had even been offered rental housing if they got rid of their pet. These experiences led to a sense of rental insecurity and feelings of stress when participants wanted or needed to move house.
<h2>Compromising on quality, cost and location</h2>
In the in-depth interviews, households were asked how they found their current rental property. They explained how long lists of available rental properties would disappear when the “pet-friendly” filter was activated on popular property search websites.
There was also a widespread perception that advertised pet-friendly housing was of a lower quality than housing that did not allow pets. Many described making compromises on property quality and cleanliness. Some purposefully chose less desirable properties to increase their chance of success.
For example, one participant stated:
"I think they call them ‘pet friendly’ because they don’t really care what happens to them. They’re probably going to pull them down eventually."
Another explained:
"It was quite heartbreaking when you looked at the properties, because they were pretty much all rundown and disgusting. Really sort of dark and dingy, bathrooms that you would see were, I suppose, just not up to scratch. Or houses that seriously probably haven’t had a lick of paint or anything done to them in 20, 30 years."
Households also made compromises on property location and cost. These choices led to feelings of housing stress. For some it meant living in housing they considered sub-standard, including properties that were unclean or located in undesirable or unsafe areas. A number accepted longer work commutes or greater financial stress to secure a property.
As one interview participant put it when explaining why they stayed in a neighbourhood they didn’t like:
"My car is on the street and it’s been broken into several times and there are a few personal safety issues but they let me have the cat, so …"
The vast majority of pet owners declared some or all of their pets when applying to rent a property. Those who had previously been rejected for a property because they had a pet were less likely to declare their pets. Why take this risk?
In-depth interviews suggest that renter households were extremely concerned about housing security: they valued their rental property and wanted to live in it as long as they could.
However, some felt that they could secure a property only if they didn’t declare their pets. Despite finding it extremely stressful to live in a rental property without permission to kept their pets, these households risked eviction so they could find somewhere to live with their pets.
<h2>Are landlords' fears justified?</h2>
Tenant experiences in the research suggest that landlords are concerned about the risks to their properties that pets might bring.
Sometimes these concerns are based on real experience. However, there is some evidence to suggest that landlord fears are just that.
In one US study, for instance, 63% of landlords who were concerned about pets in their properties didn’t have any firsthand experience of the problems they identified. Further, when damage did occur it was “far less than the average rent or the average pet deposit”.
<h4> </h4>
Indeed, somewhat counter-intuitively, having a pet-permitting lease may provide more protection for landlords than simply restricting pets. Pet-friendly leases do not mean all pets are automatically allowed. Landlords can ask for a “pet CV” as well as references for the pet, such as from a local vet, neighbours or former landlord. This is a way of ensuring the pet applicant is appropriate to the property.
Some jurisdictions in Australia allow for special provisions such as for carpets to be steam-cleaned if an animal such as a cat or dog lives at the property. In others, such as in the US and some states in Australia, an additional pet bond can be charged to cover any potential damage.
A pet-friendly lease may even bring benefits. US research suggests that households with pets stayed in rental properties longer than those that did not have pets. This brings longer-term, more secure rent to property owners. These factors are worth weighing up when landlords are making property management decisions.
Emma Power is senior research fellow, Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-power-250930" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Perhaps landlords should think again, as pet owners suffer rental insecurity

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Sydney-based veterinarian, Yen Wong, the founder and director behind Rent With Pets, wants to match pet-friendly landlords with pet-owning tenants.
<a href="https://www.rentwithpets.com.au" target="_blank">Rent With Pets</a> is the newly launched site that provides pet-friendly listings in a similar manner to other rental websites.
“It’s a tragedy when pet owners are forced to give up their beloved pets due to the lack of pet friendly rental accommodation,” said Wong.
“Animal shelters are full of pets surrendered by people who are struggling to find pet friendly rental accommodation.”
A year ago, Property Observer reported that <a href="/news/vic/22345-friday-may-3-news-terriers-and-terraces-pet-friendly-properties-in-melbourne" target="_blank">Melburnian rentals that offer themselves as "pet-friendly" can actually achieve a higher rental return</a>.
However, Wong says that they don’t just match the tenants and the landlords and leave them to it. They work closely with landlords and property managers to set guidelines for the pets that are suitable for the properties.
Pet owners can access the site for free and, in celebration of the launch, the first 500 property managers and landlords to sign up, they can get free listings for a year.
Rent With Pets also includes information for pet owners on how to find the perfect rental, tips for applying and other useful information, such as a business directory.
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ: Letter from the editor: <a href="/news/28226-letter-from-the-editor-the-drought-of-pet-friendly-rentals" target="_blank">The drought of pet-friendly rentals</a>
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Rent With Pets offers investors a chance to list for free

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The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in conjunction with the Australian Companion Animal Council have put out their 2014 guides, one for landlords and one for renters, around allowing pets in investment properties.
They provide <a href="https://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/ASAVA/CF142757%20ACAC%20Tenants%20with%20Pets%2007%2005%2014%20WEB.pdf" target="_blank">10 reasons they think animals should be allowed</a>:
<ol>
<li>Pet owning tenants are generally willing to pay more rent. 
</li>
<li>Pet-friendly properties rent faster. 
</li>
<li>Responsible pet owners can make excellent tenants. 
</li>
<li>Tenants with pets want to hold longer leases. 
</li>
<li>Reduce your advertising spend. 
</li>
<li>No more problems with ‘hidden’ pets. 
</li>
<li>Most Australians feel their pet is part of the family and care for them as such. 
</li>
<li>Reduce animal euthanasia; animal welfare agencies indicate that as many as 30% of dogs and cats are surrendered by owners who are unable to locate adequate accommodation. 
</li>
<li>“Considering pets” will not lock you into a pet- particular outcome. 
</li>
<li>Pet application and agreement forms are available to help landlords and managing agents implement a successful pet management policy and help tenants understand how to responsibly manage pets.</li>
</ol>
Source: AVA
In fact, when it comes to paying more rent, the research they cite suggests that renters are prepared to pay 7% to 14% more to bring their beloved pet along.
Basing their thoughts on US research that may reflect behaviours in Australia as well, they note that 25% of renters in the Companion Animal Renters and Pet-Friendly Housing in the US study were seeking pet-friendly accommodation, with applicable properties receiving twice as many applicants and renting out 10 days faster. The research from the US also suggests that longer leases are desired by tenants with pets, with some wanting to stay more than double the length of time as those without.
They also note that current Australia-based research suggests that 11% of pet-owning tenants keep their pets secretly, without telling their landlord, and usually it’s cats.
If you’re tempted to allow your tenant to keep pets, there are ways to go about it. Consider pet agreement forms, where you lay out your expectations, pet application forms for new tenants and, for Western Australian landlords, pet bonds.
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10 reasons landlords should consider allowing tenants to have pets: AVA

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The pet-friendly accommodation search is on the rise as people travelling to visit friends and family look to bring along their furry companions.
A fully-serviced room that allows for pets are few and far between in Canberra which is why local hotel company, Abode Hotels, has sought to fill the gap.
Already offering pet-friendly rooms in its Gungahlin location, Abode Hotels had seen significant rises in reservations where pets are the primary guests.
Each of the pet-friendly rooms have remained occupied every week since the inception of the hotel’s pet-friendly package released in early April with demand on the Abode Hotels website increasing each week.
The local company has now added a new option to the mix, opening their fourth hotel in Narrabundah this week with 86 fully-equipped, apartment-style rooms fit for all guests with specific rooms ready and waiting for visitors bringing their cherished pets.
Each of the 86 rooms at Abode Narrabundah offer a complete self-contained studio experience with views over the back nine at the Capital Public Golf Course with accommodation options suitable for leisure, corporate travellers, groups, families, and of course, pets.
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