
Petition to Amend Current Tenancy Legislation in Newfoundland.


I reside in Grandfalls-Windsor Newfoundland. I own a cat and have been searching for an apartment to rent in my town for over eight months. I am unable to secure an apartment based on the fact that I own a cat. Roughly 98% of all landlords here do not allow pets. This monopolizes the renting market for those with pets and makes it an insurmountable task to find a place to live without abandoning your pet. The SPCA puts dogs and cats down every day here because of these uncompromising landlords. Yet there is no provision in this province's residential tenancies to protect both landlords from damage and renters from discrimination. It
really bothers me to be segregated from other renters who don't have a
pet. I feel discriminated against and I'm not irresponsible. I'm
respectful and treat the rental of an apartment with the respect that
living in someone else's house demands. It is
morally wrong to discriminate against people based on age and color,
but not their family? I made a financial investment and an emotional
investment when I chose to get a cat a few years back and I regret
nothing about it. I only regret landlords preconceived notions about
pets and their owners. It's just not socially acceptable to treat people
this way and the law must be amended to end this discrimination. Other provinces have made provisions in the law to account for this such as Ontario in the Charter of Rights & Freedoms section 24. Why does the provincial government in Newfoundland continue to do nothing while innocent pets die and prospective tenants are forced to part with their loved ones so they may have a roof over their heads. Discrimination is not acceptable, no matter the type. Help me make Newfoundland a better place to live, and give a voice to the tenants who suffer from this socially unexceptionable stigma.
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