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Wellington’s crush crisis is bad for most and worse for those with pets. Ruby Heyward explores the struggle people have to find pet flats and what it means for those who choose to hide their furry loved ones out of desperation, cheek, or a desire for stability.
Minus just the sound of whips, Wellington resident Marge * gathers her three ducks from her spacious backyard pen and tucks them into the trunk of her truck for a “lovely ride.”
Marge’s partner swoops in to cover their tracks with freshly cut grass, before hiding their kiddy pool and hutch.
They have kept the ducks for two and a half years, right under the owner’s nose, and today is a quarterly flat inspection.
Not all inspections go so well. Like the only time the landlord shows up without notifying Marge, and she has to fight like a headless chicken to maintain the appearance of a pet-free flat.
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Marge secretly keeps Tallulah, Oatmeal and Jetsam ducks in the backyard of her apartment.
“It took all the distraction and loud conversations I could muster to cover the soft squawks of the ducklings, and thankfully they left without looking back into the garden,” he said.
There are more people like Marge than you might think; in fact, there are secret pets everywhere.
Most tenants know and fear the process of finding a flat. Visits at the top of the views, rush tours that give you 10 minutes to imagine the space as a home.
Sometimes there are dozens of potential tenants hoping to impress the landlord. But for some, the most daunting part of the process is the “no pets” warning on every listing.
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Marge covers the area with grass when the owner comes to visit.
New Zealand is home to more than 4.35 million pets, and more people share their homes with companion animals than almost anywhere else in the world, according to Companion Animals New Zealand.
So where does that leave one in three New Zealanders who rent?
In the past, renting was primarily a temporary situation, said Renters United representative Anna Mooney. But these days, some people would be renting for the rest of their lives, putting pet lovers at a disadvantage.
“Hundreds of people apply for properties. Landlords advertise on a ‘No Pets’ criteria as an easy way to screen people, but they immediately screen out potential great tenants, ”Mooney said.
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Renters United spokeswoman Anna Mooney says pet owners are vulnerable in the rental landscape (File photo).
Tenants who breach rental agreements, even by keeping animals prohibited, could receive a notice to dispose of the pet or be taken to court, said Quinovic property manager Stephen Dacombe-Bird.
Wellingtoniana Sarah * has kept her two dogs a secret since moving from Hamilton two years ago.
She moved home when she was 16 “stubbornly independent” to get away from a strained family dynamic. He now lives with the family of his choice: Ollie and Toby, his two dogs.
She hid her pet status for the first two years, but now she had found a pet-friendly apartment.
“It is a huge weight off my shoulders. I don’t like to lie, so now that I don’t have to hide my pet, life will be easier, ”he said. “The last two years have been hell, hiding my dogs, who damage property less than a child, causes immense pressure and stress.”
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Sarah has had to keep her two dogs, Toby (left) and Ollie (right), a secret for two years since she moved to Wellington.
The Executive Director of the Mental Health Foundation, Shaun Robinson, says that pets have great benefits for people’s minds.
“It makes sense that people’s well-being and sense of purpose go up when they have a pet,” he said. “It allows you to focus on caring, and of course that unconditional love in return is always a winner.”
A new law in Victoria and New South Wales in Australia prohibits blanket bans on pets. Some advocates want a similar law in New Zealand.
“In an ideal world, we would have a surplus of floors to choose from,” says Mooney. “Not allowing pets is one more way to discriminate against people.”
* Names changed to protect tenants.
