Restrictive Rental Laws Mean Dog-Friendly Homes Scarce
The number of people contacting us to give up their dog as their new home won’t allow pets has risen by 112% in 5 years
Sadly, too many renters in Ireland are being forced to make an impossible choice between losing their dog or losing their home because of a lack of dog friendly rentals. To tackle the issue, we've launched a petition to urge the government to change the law and stop allowing blanket bans on pets in tenancy agreements.
The number of people contacting us needing to give up their dog because their move to a new home won’t allow their four-legged family member has increased by 112% in the last five years.
Today we can reveal:
- One of the top reasons people contact Dogs Trust about giving up their dog is because they can’t find a home that allows their canine companion.
- In 2024 we had more than one call or email a day (431) on average from people needing to give up their dog because their move did not allow dogs.
- This has increased from 203 in 2019 – a shocking 112% increase in just 5 years - highlighting a disturbing trend affecting dogs and their owners.
- Only 7% (132 out of 1871) of rental properties in the whole of Ireland allowed pets on one of the biggest rental search platforms, Daft.ie.
- Yet around one-third of the population own a dog – 34% according to a 2024 study by Ipsos B&A.
- 81% of over 24,000 people surveyed by Dogs Trust – through Ireland's Dog Census – believe that dog owners should have the right to have a pet in rental accommodation.
We believe Ireland's current rental laws do not provide enough protection for tenants who are dog owners. We want the law to change to introduce fairer rules for renters with pets, while making sure landlords and their properties are also protected.
According to CSO figures, there are now more people renting in Ireland than ever before. With landlords allowed to enforce ‘no dog’ policies, many dog owning renters are in crisis and, in some cases, are forced into the impossible decision to give up their dog or else face being homeless. Today, we launched an emotive video to raise awareness of the issue.
One dog owner who faced this struggle is Celia Madrid Delgado and her dog Kai. Celia works as a canine carer at our rehoming centre in Dublin and had to apply to 300 properties before she found a rental home that would allow Kai.
My husband and I applied for more than 300 rentals over six months and all of them refused us. If we didn’t have Kai, we’d have been sorted with somewhere to live in a couple of weeks.
Celia Madrid Delgado, Dogs Trust Canine Carer
Celia continued: “Giving up Kai was never going to be an option for me. I was lucky and eventually found a home where we’re all happy. But so many other loving owners come to our rehoming centre looking to surrender their dog because they have no other choice. It’s an awful situation to deal with. Owners in floods of tears. Their dogs distressed because they don’t know why they’re being left behind. All we can do is assure every owner that we will give their dog the love they deserve until we can find them a new home.”
Sarah Lynch, Policy, Compliance and Research Manager, Dogs Trust said: “No one should have to choose between losing their dog or losing their home. But too many people are having to make this heartbreaking choice because they can't find a rental home that allows pets.
“Together, we can change this. Please sign our petition urging the government to prevent ‘blanket bans’ on dogs in tenancy agreements. Help us make sure it’s good boy, not goodbye.”
We have produced advice to landlords who are thinking about allowing dogs in their property, with tips such as getting a doggy reference to provide reassurance, as well as ideas for renters to help them in the search process.
Please sign the petition today to help us make sure it's good boy, not goodbye:
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