Many Saskatchewan renters who have had to move, have had a challenge finding a new place that allows pets, meaning they have had to surrender them.
That’s according to USask Research Chair in One Health & Wellness, Dr. Colleen Dell. Her team is working on a project that aims to create more pet-friendly rental housing in Saskatchewan.

Paws in Places is a campaign dedicated to spreading awareness on the importance of allowing pets into rental housing and other establishments. Dell says Saskatchewan is one of the only provinces in Canada where property owners can deny potential renters if they have pets. The Saskatoon SPCA sees the results of those denials every year. Of the 4,000 animals they take in annually, the SPCA says many of them are given up because of rental regulations.

Dell and her team have created a pet-friendly rental housing guide to share evidence-based information with the community. It features input and opinions from over 50 landlords, tenants, and representatives from housing and animal shelter organizations. Paws in Places is a collaboration between One Health and Wellness, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon’s pet community, and is funded by Royal Canin.

Click here to view the pet-friendly rental housing guide.