Everything you need to know about applying for a pet | Tenant news

Bringing a pet into your home can be a joyful and rewarding experience as pets offer companionship, help improve mental wellbeing and feel like family.

But before you welcome any animal into your Habinteg home, it’s important that you understand what’s expected of you and you submit an application first.

Is your home suitable?

Not all Habinteg homes are suitable for pets. If your home doesn’t have its own private garden or if it’s accessed through a shared entrance, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to have one.

This is mainly to ensure everyone’s safety and that your home and communal space remain hygienic. However, there may be exceptions for smaller pets..

You usually don’t need permission for small pets that stay inside their cages, bowls, or tanks and don’t need to go outside, such as hamsters, small birds in cages, or fish in tanks. Speak to your Neighbourhood Coordinator in the first instance for more information about such pets.

If you need a guide dog or other assistance animal, you can apply for one, but you will need to give us official documents showing your need for support. You’ll also need written permission from Habinteg for such animals.

Your responsibilities

Once you’re granted permission, you’ll need to look after your pet responsibly. This means making sure they don’t cause any nuisance, danger, or damage.

Dogs must be kept on leads in shared spaces, wear a collar with ID, and be microchipped.

You’re responsible for cleaning up after your pet, keeping vaccinations and treatments up to date, and registering them with a local vet.

Pets must not be left alone for long periods or allowed to roam freely. If there are concerns about neglect or abandonment, animal welfare groups may be contacted.

Breeding or selling animals from your home is not allowed, and pets are not to be housed in shared garden areas, sheds, or other communal spaces.

How to apply

To request permission for a pet, you'll need to complete a pet request form. You can get the form and further details by speaking to your Neighbourhood Coordinator.

The type of animal, the size of your property, and how many pets are already in the household will all be taken into account.

There are some pets, however, that Habinteg won’t allow in any of their homes. These include farm animals like chickens and pigs, exotic animals that need special licences (such as snakes or reptiles), and any breed banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

If your request for a pet is refused and you think the decision was unfair, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed by another Neighbourhood Manager.

To read our full pet policy, visit www.habinteg.org.uk/servicestandards.

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