Rising number of pets handed into rescue centres by people on Cork's housing waiting list

'Pets are family. For many residents, especially during stressful times, pets provide companionship, comfort, and stability.'

An increasing number of older pets are being handed into rescue centres by people on the Cork County Council's housing waiting list.

The pets are being surrendered because the housing list applicants are not allowed to keep them when moved by the local authority into properties under the jurisdiction of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).

The council is to write to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, urging it to issue national guidelines encouraging AHBs to adopt pet-friendly policies where appropriate, while ensuring proper management and respect for all residents.

Councillors unanimously backed the motion from Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley who said: “The positive role pets play in supporting wellbeing, companionship, and community life should be recognised.

"Pets are family. For many residents, especially during stressful times, pets provide companionship, comfort, and stability. Yet restrictive no pets’ policies place unnecessary hardship on people already facing housing challenges."

She said she has has been in contact with CSPCA (Cork Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and Molly-Moos Rescue Ireland, who have both confirmed they're getting an increasing number of older pets handed into them for rehoming, from people who have had to give them up to move into homes under the jurisdiction of AHBs.

'Heartbreaking'

“We can also see from recent media articles that more and more pets are being surrendered to animal shelters or dumped in rural Ireland. Many of these heartbreaking cases happen because people are forced to give them up in order to secure proper housing. This is traumatic for both the people and the animals, and it is preventable,” Ms Buckley added.

She said her family recently adopted a four-and-a-half-year-old springer spaniel from a woman who got separated and had to move into a smaller house where she wasn’t allowed to keep the dog, “which was heartbreaking for her.” 

She put forward the motion at a meeting of the council’s Southern Division in County Hall. Its chairwoman, Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern, seconded it.

Ms Ahern, who told fellow councillors she is an avid pet lover, said the restrictions are very harsh and need to be relaxed.

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Ms Buckley said she could understand if people allocated a small apartment were excluded for having a Great Dane in it, but not a Pekingese, or a cat.

“There has to be a common-sense approach to these things,” Ms Ahern said.

Officials from the council’s Housing Directorate said a number of AHBs have had for some time a general no pets policy in their smaller accommodation units.

They said at least one, believed to be Cluid, is currently reviewing this policy and the council is supportive of a general review being undertaken by all AHBs and will let its position be known to them.