Local Councillor Michael Sheehan is calling on Housing Minister James Browne to amend Section 12 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, aiming to end blanket pet bans in rental agreements.
Councillor Sheehan says the change could significantly reduce the number of pets being surrendered or abandoned due to housing issues.
If passed, the motion will be circulated to councils nationwide for broader support.
Speaking to South East Radio News the independent councillor says
“In County Wexford, on average, 600 dogs are either reclaimed or rehomed every year,
and this year looks beyond target as no other year. What it seems to be is people who are moving
tendencies are moving into an apartment or moving into a house, all of a sudden find out that their
pet is not allowed. Consequently, then their either abandoned or rehomed, putting pressure
on different elements of the county council and the dogs for us. So it’s a national campaign
of which Wexford is a key player in this to make sure that people have the right to at least have
a pet going with them to their tenancy”.
