By Sarah Pump, Executive Director
Recently, PAN has been contacted for support by several families experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness. Some of these families have been on the wait list for subsidized housing through BC Housing for a long time and don’t understand why they haven’t received a placement.
There are a number of options available to us when we seek to support clients in these situations. However, those options are dramatically reduced when these clients have pets, especially a pet other than a cat or two.
Pet policies for subsidized housing through BC Housing can vary depending on the provider. However, generally, the limit is two animals at most. In Nanaimo, very few locations will take dogs, and if they do, it is often restricted to ground floor units. All exotic pets such as lizards, snakes and spiders are not allowed at all.
I’m not going to debate whether or not the current BC Housing pet policies are fair. The reality is that they exist, and low-income people who are at risk of homelessness or hoping to secure subsidized housing need to make informed choices.
If you are on the BC Housing wait list for subsidized housing, I strongly recommend not adopting a dog or any exotic pets. Keep your pets at a maximum number of two, and stick to cats, birds, rodents, or a small aquarium (20 gallons or less).
It’s still ok to dream of getting a dog one day! Once my son and I moved into our subsidized building, we were finally able to get our dog, because we happened to secure a unit in a dog friendly location. However, I’m glad we waited to ensure that we had as many options as possible.
Poverty Advocacy Nanaimo 