It’s amazing how much some people are punished for loving their pets; not only do hefty vet bills haunt owners, but finding basic housing can be a major problem.

Trying to find rental accommodation with a dog or cat in tow is like being branded with a scarlet letter — no one wants to take you in.

It’s obvious that pets have the potential to cause more damage than a human occupant, but that is what damage and pet deposits are in place for.

In rural areas, with more land to run in and livestock more commonplace, potential tenants don’t understand why they are so discriminated against.

Last summer, the SPCA created a new tool in the arsenal to find pet-friendly housing in BC.

The BC SPCA has produced an online rental toolkit that helps pet guardians locate housing that offers a welcome mat to both people and their pets, and sets a high standard for pet care and responsibility in multiple-family dwellings; they say the lack of pet-friendly housing in the province is a major issue for the organization.

“More than 2,500 companion pets a year are surrendered to our shelters by people who can’t find housing that will permit their pets,” said Lorie Chortyk, the society’s general manager of community relations.

The toolkit is primarily aimed at renters, but it also promotes the inclusion of pet-friendly housing in strata units. Simply put, says Chortyk, pets benefit society and prohibiting them does a disservice to all renters, homeowners, landlords and strata councils alike.

For example, she notes, people with pets stay longer and pay more rent – between 20 and 30 per cent more – than people without pets.

An already low number of rental units shrink even further when a pet is factored into the equation; hopefully this website will help landlords understand the challenges pet owners face and open more doors to rental accommodation – because a homeless pet is usually a dead pet.

Gas price correlation?

Another week has gone by and has brought with it a drop in gas prices. The Free Press thinks it’s curious prices seem to drop on Wednesdays when the paper comes out, along with another article on pricing. Let’s hope this Wednesday brings the same again.