For many pet owners, their dogs or cats are considered part of the family.
But every summer, hundreds of families are broken up and those pets end up on the streets or in shelters.
That’s because landlords have the right to include no-pet clauses in their leases.
The coming July 1 moving day means the SPCA is gearing up to take in three times as many pets as usual, totaling almost 1,600 animals, due in large part to owners moving to new homes with those no-pet clauses.
“It’s heartbreaking because we know that these animals were really loved by their owners, they were well taken care of, they've never created issues in their previous homes,” said Anita Kapusinska of the Montreal SPCA.
Quebec's association of landlords says there are three reasons building owners enforce no-pet clauses -- noise problems, hygiene and security matters.
This spring, the city published a guide for pet owners.
Part of a pet owners' responsibilities is finding a home for their pets if they decide they can no longer provide one, says Anie Samson, the executive committee member in charge of public security and citizen services.
That means talking to friends and family as well as considering leaving the animal at a shelter.
Samson wants that message to reach every pet owner, and is planning a public awareness campaign to get the word out.
She says residents who are stuck can even call 311 and someone will try to help out.
The SPCA deals with the additional animals through its fostering and pet adoption programs. But they encourage tenants who are moving to talk to their new landlords before signing a lease.
“Letting them know that the animal is sterilized so it won’t be marking in house or the female won’t be screaming at night or even getting a letter from their veterinarian stating that their animals aren't prone to any behavioural issues and that they're in good health” may help, says Kapuscinska.
