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The B.C. SPCA wants to make pet-friendly housing a provincial election issue. It wants voters to make whatever party takes office this fall understand that this is an issue that affects, and matters to, a great many of them.

That said, it’s unlikely that the fortunes of the B.C. NDP, United, Conservatives or Greens will turn on this concern but I, for one, think it’s as good a measure as any for determining whether the parties really care as much about voters as they say they do.

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According to Statistics Canada, almost 700,000 British Columbians rent their home and about 140,000 own more than one property, meaning if all those property owners were landlords, renters still far outnumber them.

Ergo, it’s safe to assume there are far more renter voters in B.C. than landlord voters. Nevertheless, no provincial government, including B.C., has made it illegal for landlords to refuse renters with pets except Ontario in 2006.

Why is this? Could it be that as of 2023, 16 B.C. MLAs were also landlords? Or am I just being cynical?

In view of that, ahem, illuminating statistic, for me to bring up the ethics and fairness surrounding this issue will be like spitting into a category 4 hurricane. Nevertheless, because lost (so far) causes are the only ones worth fighting for, let me try.

I believe it is ethical and fair to prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to people with pets. It’s also humane. That’s not to say all tenants with pets will care for their apartments or even their pets. The sad fact is some won’t because that’s how some people are. Awful.

However, it’s also true that the vast majority of pet-owning renters will care for their apartments, because they know finding one that will take them and their animal is such a one-in-a-million privilege.

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Furthermore, numerous medical and psychological studies over the years have made it clear that pets make people happy and healthy. Having a pet to love and cuddle brings down your blood pressure and calms your nerves. Living with a dog also means regular exercise because dogs need to be walked every day. Even in the rain.

It’s also good for the pets, especially if they’re rescued. There are always more dogs and cats in need of good homes in B.C. than there are good homes for them, because irresponsible people still allow them to have puppies or kittens and think nothing of dumping them when they’ve lost interest in them. Again, that’s just how some people are.

I’m lucky enough to own a condo in a building that allows residents to have three animals of any species or size. Currently, I have one cat, but usually I have two. This is true of most cat owners in the building. I don’t know of anyone who has two dogs, let alone three, but the option remains.

My building has been this way since it was constructed in the 1970s and everyone who lives here is happy with that. The pets are as welcome as the people, and all those worries about noise and damage have never materialized.

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And if they don’t materialize here, why should landlords assume they’ll materialize elsewhere? Because, unfortunately, they will in a few instances, but mostly they won’t.

B.C. renters (voters) already have to endure impossibly high rents to live here. A recent survey reported one in four pays more than half his/her income in rent. But if they have animals, they’re really screwed. They often have to abandon their animals or, if they refuse to, face living on the street.

How can anyone — NDP, United, Conservative or Green — think that’s fair or ethical? Heaven only knows, but they do. Election after election after election.

Nicholas Read is the author of a dozen books about nature and animals and a former Sun reporter.

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