Bellingham, Stand Up for Pet-Friendly Housing

Proposed Ordinance to Remove Barriers to Pets in Housing

ASPCA Position: Support

On September 30, the Bellingham City Council will consider an ordinance that will help families find and keep homes that welcome their beloved pets. This ordinance aims to increase housing stability for renters and remove barriers to owning pets in rental housing by capping deposits and prohibiting pet-related rent and fees.

Help make Bellingham’s housing truly pet-friendly by contacting your City Councilmembers today.

Why Pet-Friendly Housing Is Important

Pet owners face huge barriers when searching for a home. Renters, especially lower income renters, are more likely to have to rehome their pet due to housing issues than for any other reason. When renters finally find housing that allows pets, it often comes with costly up front or ongoing pet deposits and/or pet-related fees. When added to other housing-related expenses, such as moving, security deposits, and application fees, these additional costs have a devastating impact on people who are already struggling to find cost-appropriate housing.

Pets are considered part of the family by most people, yet an increasing number of pet owners are being forced to surrender their animals due to restrictive and costly housing policies. It’s severing precious bonds and flooding animal shelters and rescues with pets who could have remained with their families if these barriers didn’t exist. This proposed ordinance is a huge step towards eliminating barriers to keeping pets at home with the people who love them.

What You Can Do

Please take action before September 30. Use the form below to send a message urging your City Council to support the proposed ordinance. You can send the message as is, or you can include a personal story describing how this issue has impacted you. Your story can make a difference.

Additionally, you’re invited to attend the City Council hearing. Here are the details:

September 30, 2024 – 7:00 p.m.
Bellingham City Hall, Council Chambers
210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

After you’ve submitted the form below, check out the city’s guidance to prepare for the hearing.

Advocacy Alert

Your Message

Subject Vote YES: Ordinance to Prohibit Unfair or Excessive Rental Fees

Dear Bellingham Councilmembers,

As a Bellingham resident, I am asking you to please support the “Ordinance Prohibiting Unfair and Excessive Rental Fees” to create greater housing stability for all renters, while encouraging more equitable access to housing for renters with pets.

The high cost of housing in Bellingham affects families in a variety of adverse ways, including putting families in a position where they are forced to choose between keeping their pet or keeping a roof over their head. As housing instability has increased, the upfront costs that landlords assess to allow a pet is regularly cited as a reason why people relinquish their pet to animal shelters.

Pet-friendly housing options are essential to keeping pets and people together. Pet deposits and pet-related fees are adding up to put housing out of reach for most pet owners. The Ordinance to Prohibit Unfair or Excessive Rental Fees would create greater housing stability for all renters, while addressing one of the most significant housing-related issues that cause people to make the heartbreaking decision to give up their pet.

Those who are willing and able to care for their pets should not be faced with the impossible decision of relinquishing their beloved animals due to a lack of housing options.

Once again, I ask that you please support the Ordinance to Prohibit Unfair or Excessive Rental Fees on September 30 to ensure that the excessive upfront costs imposed by landlords doesn’t force families to make a decision to give up a member of their family.

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Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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