Our neighbourhoods are made better with animals in them. Having a pet is proven to be good for long term health and social well-being, yet so many of us find ourselves struggling to be pet-owners in Vancouver. 

Having a pet shouldn’t be a barrier to find dignified housing you can afford. Pet-friendly rentals are more expensive on average, leaving low-income pet-owners struggling to find places to live. Pet-owners in Vancouver are being left behind and animals are ending up in shelters because of the fear of eviction.

Even with pet-friendly housing, large stretches of neighbourhoods across the city are without off-leash dog parks. In Kitsilano, there are more Chip Wilson properties than dog parks. This leaves many having to choose between risking a $250 fine from by-law officers or having their dog not get the exercise they need. Without the ability to bring your dog on the bus, those who can are made to drive to the parks where their dogs can run free – unnecessarily increasing pollution in the city. 

Vancouver should be a city where pets and pet-owners are welcome.

That’s why COPE is fighting to:

• Have more dog parks and off-leash spaces. You shouldn’t have to walk an hour to get to an off-leash dog park in your neighbourhood. We can improve off-leash dog access to more parks and places, including  creating off-leash hours in the early morning hours before work.
  
  

• Fight to legalize pets in rentals across the city. Pet-bans only lead to precarity. Higher costs for pet-friendly rentals force people to choose between paying more than they can afford for rent, sneaking their animals into no-pet rentals and living in fear of eviction, or giving up their beloved pets. 
  
  

• Make Vancouver a dog-friendly city.  We can do more to work with and support dog-owners in the city by doing things like pushing Translink to allow leashed dogs on public transit, like in Calgary, having well-stocked amenities for dogs like waste bags and water bowls at dog parks, and ensuring shaded areas for dogs on hot summer days.
  
  

Sign our petition today to share your support for COPE’s fight for a pet-friendly Vancouver!