Vanderburgh Humane Society Highlights Pet Care In Push For Renter Protections, Rental Assistance, And Affordable Housing In Evansville

 Evansville, IN (August 25, 2020)—The COVID-19 pandemic is putting millions of pets in Indiana and across the country at risk of being surrendered to animal shelters by the families who love them, but maybe forced to choose between finding a place to live and keeping their pets.

The ability of people in the Tri-State and other communities across the country to cover the costs of pet care and related expenses has been drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the pandemic has exacerbated affordable housing shortages that already existed for renters across the country, including in Evansville, low-income especially households have often had to choose between paying rent and buying groceries, medicine and other necessities—including pet-related expenses.

As such, the Vanderburgh Humane Society supports increased rental assistance and a moratorium on evictions for low-income renters in the Tri-State experiencing increased housing insecurity because of the pandemic and urges landlords to remove restrictions of pets in rental units and asks community members who are in a position to help to consider longterm fostering to help families in crisis find a temporary caregiver for their pets rather than being forced to surrender them.

The poverty and structural inequality that puts low-income, Black, and Latinx community-members at a greater risk of being affected by COVID-19 also creates barriers to finding safe, affordable, and pet-friendly housing. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in Indiana in 2018, there were only 38 units of affordable housing available for every 100 extremely low-income households in our state. Meanwhile, only 9% of rental housing across the country allowed companion animals without any significant limitations on size or type. Most tenants (82%) with animals reported having trouble finding a rental unit that would accept their pets.

Each year millions of pets enter animal shelters, and one of the most frequently cited reasons for relinquishment is housing, moving or landlord issue. To keep pets in their homes, animal welfare organizations assert on one crucial point: When families are ripped apart, both humans and pets experience detrimental effects on their physical and emotional wellbeing.

“Pets are often excluded from the holistic view of human and family services,” says Amanda Coburn, VHS Chief Development Officer. “According to the Humane Society of the United States, 50-70% of renters have a pet. That means that for 50-70% of any of the families utilizing services, ensuring that pets & people can stay together simply must be considered a secondary need. Pets are family too and it can severely affect quality of life, particularly for young children, if pets must be surrendered due to hardship that is often temporary. We have a long way to go in terms of pet-friendly housing, particularly with large dogs.”

The Courier & Press recently reported that Vanderburgh County has seen the fifth-most applicants for renters’ assistance in the state of Indiana.

Landlords can minimize such risk by removing barriers such as outdated, ineffective breed and size restrictions in the case of renters with pets and by reducing fees in order to give renters with pets more opportunities to find safe housing. Now, more than ever, renters would benefit from increased support and fewer limitations.

Animal advocates and other members of the public can help by engaging groups like the Reopen Evansville Task Force to advocate for rental assistance and ensure that low-income renters—and their pets—have safe and affordable housing in rental homes with pet-friendly policies. Learn more about national-level actions through groups like Opportunity Starts at Home, National Housing Law Project, Eviction Lab and Just Shelter.

To arrange an interview or coverage opportunity (particularly on Wednesday, August 26 which is National Dog Day) contact Amanda at the information below.