Press release – for immediate release
Housing crisis: The SPCA challenges all political parties to address the social impact of no-pet clauses in housing
The organization invites the public to mobilize by taking part in a
solidarity walk to keep families together this coming May 25
Montreal, May 7, 2025 – With July 1st just a few weeks away, the Montreal SPCA is sounding the alarm and urging all provincial political parties to commit to rendering null and void no-pet clauses in residential leases, given the significant impact these bans have on society’s most vulnerable classes. It also invites citizens and community organizations to join the Walk to Keep Families Together, this coming May 25 at 1 p.m. in Montreal, to denounce this critical situation and call for greater social justice.
“At the Montreal SPCA, we see the growing problems caused by these extremely restrictive and arbitrary clauses every day,” says Sophie Gaillard, the organization’s Director of Animal Advocacy and Legal and Government Affairs. “The impact is significant, not only for the animals themselves and for shelters overflowing as a result of forced surrenders, but also for the families broken up by these unfair clauses, who contact us in distress when faced with heartbreaking choices.”
Vulnerable groups experience the greatest impact
Children form deep attachments to the family animal, which is beneficial to their development. And a recent study shows that growing old with a companion animal improves well-being among single seniors. Yet children and the elderly are among the groups directly affected by outright and unmotivated no-pet clauses in rental housing. Other vulnerable groups most affected by these arbitrary bans include people suffering from loneliness, whose animal is often their only source of day-to-day support, as well as victims of family violence, who may decide to remain in an unsafe situation because they are unable to find animal-friendly housing and can’t imagine leaving without their animal, who is a major source of comfort to them.
All political parties should commit to keeping families together
Given the current housing crisis and rising cost of living, and the fact that 52% of Quebec households include an animal, the imbalance caused by these clauses is extremely problematic. Unlike other types of contracts, which are the result of negotiations between two parties, a residential lease is a “standard form agreement”, i.e. a contract where the stronger party imposes its terms on the weaker party, without negotiation. Responsible tenants whose animals cause no damage or nuisance should not have to live with the constant threat of losing their home or being forced to part with their companion. More than one animal a day is surrendered to the SPCA because of the difficulty of finding a home where animals are accepted.
“Our team is so frequently called upon to deal with these issues by citizens in distress, and the impact on shelters is so significant, that the SPCA considers it a province-wide priority issue,” warns Gaillard. “Citizens even tell us that a commitment to ban no-pet clauses could influence their vote in the next provincial election. This shows how serious the situation has become.”
Citizens are invited to make their voices heard
Such clauses have been prohibited in Ontario and France for decades. In Quebec, although a petition supporting their prohibition gathered over 33,000 signatures in 2022, and Québec solidaire tabled Bill 494 to this effect in 2023, the government continues to turn a deaf ear to this issue. The Montreal SPCA is now calling on members of the public to contact their MNAs and demand that all political parties commit to resolving this crisis, for which a simple and equitable solution is within reach. Quebecers are therefore invited to contact their MNA, via this letter and in person, and to join the Walk to Keep Families Together on Sunday May 25 at 1pm at Square St-Louis to make their voices heard on this issue.
Further details are available on our frequently asked questions page.
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Source: Montreal SPCA www.spca.com/en/
Media information:
Tök communications 514-247-0526
Marie-Hélène Avon, mariehelene@tokcommunications.ca
About the Montreal SPCA
Founded in Montreal in 1869, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now known simply as the Montreal SPCA) was the first animal welfare organization in Canada. The SPCA has come a long way since: it is now the largest animal welfare organization in Quebec and speaks on behalf of animals wherever they face ignorance, cruelty, exploitation or neglect.
