tenants and pets

RE: tenants and pets

jojofruits — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:49:59 GMT

Absolutely!

interesting too about the PDSA rule change! It was only a couple of years ago that they wouldnt treat the 2nd pedigree pet, which for Mrs Smith with her two geriatric yorkies wasn't the best. but all tx was free.

I wonder if their requirements are the same in every area? Its good that people have to pay even a little!

glad I'm teaching you stuff Arlo - makes a change its usually the other way around! although not sure how useful it is! hehe

RE: tenants and pets

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 11:47:15 GMT

[quote user="jojofruits"]I do think its a bit rose tinted glasses[/quote]

Yeah - well my specs are a bit on the rose-tinted side! Realistically, I don't imagine the government will ever reintroduce dog licenses and means testing animal ownership might be prohibitively expensive.

[quote user="jojofruits"]In Celia Hammond Lewisham we had 300, yes 300 cats looking for homes in our building alone[/quote] wow.

[quote user="jojofruits"]It would be a shame if the UK ends up like the US with kill shelters all over the place[/quote] I hadn't heard that term - kill shelters - till now. Googled it, and found this interesting: https://www.peta.org/features/deadly-consequences-no-kill-policies/

(an argument for your line of thinking wrt to compulsory neutering).

[quote user="jojofruits"]famalam![/quote]

Something else I had to google :) I'm learning lots today

Strikes me that compulsory neutering before getting charitable or state help would certainly be a good first step.

RE: tenants and pets

Heather Bacon — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 22:13:07 GMT

[quote user="jojofruits"]currently the PDSA in London has a 2 pet rule, and one one can be a pedigree. but they will help if they are entire. that's the bit I struggle with.[/quote]

PDSA rules changed last year. If the client meets the elegibility requirements they can have 1 "free" animal (or 2 if it's a pair of rabbits or g. pigs). Then they can have as many other animals registered as they want but they have to pay for treatment at a reduced cost. If the client meets different benefit requirements (ie: job seekers etc) then all of their pets are at a reduced cost.

RE: tenants and pets

jojofruits — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 12:19:49 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43045552 [/quote]

Labour website doesn't expand on it very much:

https://labour.org.uk/issues/animal-welfare-plan/

[quote user="jojofruits"]In my (humble) opinion there is a real problem with people who have pets that cant afford them. and as much as we all get on our high horses and say " they shouldn't have them" .. people do! its a fact of life, and sadly a lot of them go without veterinary care. As a profession we should be figuring out ways to help the situation rather than judging it.[/quote]

jojofruits - crikey, that's chicken and egg (is it better to deal with the cause or the consequences?).

I guess what it really comes down to is ...

All these things are paid for out of your taxes. So, the question is, do you want to pay for the veterinary care of other people's pets?

(Given it's tax we're talking about, there's also the question of whether it's as important as other things we spend our tax on, like the NHS).

I just don't know. I mean, I don't think that JUST because someone is on a low income or receiving financial support, they should be entitled to a state-funded pet.

Owning a pet is a financial responsibility. I don't think we should be encouraging pet ownership amongst that part of the population that is least able to afford them.

Of course, I have huge sympathy for those who find themselves in dire straights. And I wouldn't be opposed to some of my tax bill going towards initiatives like: https://www.streetvet.co.uk/

But I think if HM Treasury wants me to stump up for veterinary care for people on low incomes, I think I would also like to see greater control over who can own a dog in the first place.

Perhaps ownership should be means-tested? In other words, bring back dog licenses, and the only way you can have one is if you can prove your financial ability to pay for the dog.

If someone later found themselves on income support, then sure, help them out. I just don't think anyone should have an automatic right to free or discounted veterinary care just because they are on benefits.

[/quote]I love everything you have said here, but I do think its a bit rose tinted glasses. We as a country are already in a situation where people own pets, and presumably will for the next 15 or so years.

It would be a good scheme for existing animals I think but would have to be seriously regulated if people just think they can keep adding to their famalam!

currently the PDSA in London has a 2 pet rule, and one one can be a pedigree. but they will help if they are entire. that's the bit I struggle with.

RE: tenants and pets

jojofruits — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 12:17:06 GMT

Arlo Guthrie anyone who has ever worked in a charity will tell you that unfortunately people do tend to think its their right to own a pet, even if they cant afford them.

a few sweeping statements coming up - brace yourselves......

having lived in south London in a very deprived area I have seen with my own eyes that there are high levels of unemployment, single parent families. I have personally seen numerous people who are struggling to afford to live who still keep pets. What's more they generally don't neuter them, because they cant afford too or want to breed and make some money

I would support wholeheartedly any scheme that assisted with their pets, but would like to see limits on numbers of pets and only providing care if they are neutered.

I don't think our profession as a whole really understands what's going on outside of private practice unless they have worked in it. it would make your hair curl.

In Celia Hammond Lewisham we had 300, yes 300 cats looking for homes in our building alone and at least half were under 6 months old.

I think the problem here is good old human beings taking the preverbial pee pee. it will always happen. If the government can help animal welfare in this country then why not? nobody is really helping at the moment and these animals are becoming a huge problem in inner cities. It would be a shame if the UK ends up like the US with kill shelters all over the place, but fast forward 25 years and I wouldn't be surprised.

We need to stop free ad sites selling pets and stop giving people with unneutered pets charity handouts.

perhaps a government compulsory neutering scheme unless you're registered breeder who has been inspected, I mean its not like we are short of a dog or cat or two?! the PTS figures from Battersea are literally incredible.

RE: tenants and pets

Sal the 1st — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 19:14:35 GMT

[quote user="jojofruits"]

Ahh but you're sensible!

I once went into a house that had 80 cats living in the attic!

[/quote]

yep thats the sort of welfare issue I meant

chickens living on the balcony of a 12th floor flat (yes it really happened)

I worked for various charities for years and I can see this will put some of them not only under increased pressure but also out of business. My experience has been if you make it more affordable for people who cannot really afford pets all that happens is that you make it easier for them to afford even more because they know there will always be somebody there to pick up the pieces. (I am not talking about genuine folks who find themselves in a spot after ie losing a job and income or losing a home - but folks who dont have the money but think ah yes I know lets have some puppies and make a bit on the side, or that ........ looks really cool I haven't had one of those yet, havent a clue how to look after them, dont know what they eat but I want one anyway). This is why when I worked for one place we ended up with people bringing in iguanas and other exotics in various stages of nearly dead and staffie c sections at least once if not twice a day.

RE: tenants and pets

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 14:42:53 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43045552 [/quote]

Labour website doesn't expand on it very much:

https://labour.org.uk/issues/animal-welfare-plan/

jojofruits - crikey, that's chicken and egg (is it better to deal with the cause or the consequences?).

I guess what it really comes down to is ...

All these things are paid for out of your taxes. So, the question is, do you want to pay for the veterinary care of other people's pets?

(Given it's tax we're talking about, there's also the question of whether it's as important as other things we spend our tax on, like the NHS).

I just don't know. I mean, I don't think that JUST because someone is on a low income or receiving financial support, they should be entitled to a state-funded pet.

Owning a pet is a financial responsibility. I don't think we should be encouraging pet ownership amongst that part of the population that is least able to afford them.

Of course, I have huge sympathy for those who find themselves in dire straights. And I wouldn't be opposed to some of my tax bill going towards initiatives like: https://www.streetvet.co.uk/

But I think if HM Treasury wants me to stump up for veterinary care for people on low incomes, I think I would also like to see greater control over who can own a dog in the first place.

Perhaps ownership should be means-tested? In other words, bring back dog licenses, and the only way you can have one is if you can prove your financial ability to pay for the dog.

RE: tenants and pets

jojofruits — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 14:31:32 GMT

Ahh but you're sensible!

I once went into a house that had 80 cats living in the attic!

RE: tenants and pets

V E S — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 13:12:19 GMT

What welfare issues do you think it will create, out of interest?

I think that as long as it is well regulated (like PDSA) it could definitely improve pet welfare, e.g. people actually taking their pets to the vet when they start to become unwell rather than later down the line, simply because they are on a low income and worried about money?

I also agree that landlords should accept pets in most circumstances. Most of the population own a pet, so I doubt future tenants would have an issue. I rent myself and finding a property that is affordable and allows me to have my pets is extremely difficult! I don't think there should be a restriction to 2 pets...considering I have a bearded dragon, 2 rabbits and a cat

RE: tenants and pets

jojofruits — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 09:43:17 GMT

It depends of course how they propose to do it. PDSA are a great organisation but with quite strict requirements for treatment.

In my (humble) opinion there is a real problem with people who have pets that cant afford them. and as much as we all get on our high horses and say " they shouldn't have them" .. people do! its a fact of life, and sadly a lot of them go without veterinary care. As a profession we should be figuring out ways to help the situation rather than judging it.

I used to work for Celia Hammond Animal trust in London who mop up a lot of the clients that the PDSA are unable to see and it was completely rammed 24/7.

I do think the "scheme" should only treat neutered animals though. get em done!

As far as the landlord thing goes there are many people who move house and are unable to take their pets with them, leaving rescue centres to deal with the problem. Sounds like Jeremy Corbyn has had quite the chat with the PDSA and has a good idea of what is ACTUALLY happening out there.

As a landlord myself I wouldn't mind, but I think I would like to see a limit on numbers, say 2 pets per household.