Best Friends Animal Society Urges the Support of the Pets Belong with Families Act to Keep Pets and People Together
Kanab, UT – Best Friends Animal Society urges the support of the Pets Belong with Families Act to keep pets and people together. Pets are not just a friendly face but beloved members of our families who can have positive impacts on our physical, mental, and emotional health but currently, some public housing authorities ban certain breeds based on the outdated and disproven assumption that breed makes a dog dangerous. These harmful restrictions only limit the safe and stable homes available to public housing tenants, creating blanket pet restrictions. HR. 5828, introduced by U.S. Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Cori Bush (D-MO) seeks to solve this issue by removing broad and unfounded restrictions on pets in public housing to help ensure that housing is available to eligible families, regardless of their pet’s breed or size.
In a recent study conducted by Best Friends Animal Society and Shelterluv, we found pets are relinquished to shelters for reasons related to the owner's circumstances at roughly a ratio of 3 to 1 with housing issues as the #1 reason for dogs to be surrendered and the #2 reason for cats. Best Friends has worked in numerous states across the nation, helping to end these dangerous outdated policies and we are grateful to these legislators for their leadership on expanding pet-friendly housing and removing barriers to keep families together.
“Thank you, Reps. Schiff, Fitzpatrick, Underwood, and Bush for your leadership on this important issue and expanding pet-friendly housing,” said Julie Castle, Best Friends Animal Society CEO. “Breed-based restrictions are inaccurate, outdated and are disproven in keeping communities safe. This bill will help protect families from having to choose between putting a roof over their head or keeping their beloved pet. It’s time we put an end to public housing tenants being unfairly targeted by these outdated policies.”
Please help us stand behind this pet-friendly housing bill and urge your member of Congress to support the Pets Belong with Families Act, H.R. 5828.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is the leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to around 347,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs all across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,300 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.