Emily Johnston and her wife Bianca moved to Darwin in 2022 with their kelpie collie, Scout, and German shorthaired pointer, Celeste.
Despite considering their dogs “part of the family”, the couple quickly discovered it would be difficult to find a place that allowed pets.
“We applied for many, many [rentals], but no success for a while … the dogs being a big reason,” Ms Johnston said.
Emily (right) with her wife Bianca, and two dogs Scout and Celeste. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
A drawn portrait of Scout is framed and hung in Emily and Bianca's home. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
While rental laws in the Northern Territory protect pet owners from discrimination, body corporates can override those laws and impose complete pet bans.
It's a loophole that also exists in the ACT and South Australia, which results in even home owners not guaranteed the right to keep a pet.
In Tasmania, both landlords and body corporates are able to ban pets from a property.
Ms Johnston said that after deciding to purchase a property in Darwin, it was still “a bit of a lottery” to find one that allowed pets, with so many under a body corporate.
“Some of them would allow one dog but not the other dog. Some of them wouldn't allow pets at all,” she said.
Emily and Bianca consider their two dogs members of the family. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
While the couple eventually found a home for their family, pets included, they know not everyone is so lucky.
“It's really devastating to see people having to put up on Facebook that they're rehoming their pet because of a living situation,” Ms Johnston said.
Body corporate rules across Australia
Body corporates or owner corporations are made up of a group of people who own “lots” within a strata scheme development, which include properties such as units, apartments, duplexes or townhouses.
Members of body corporates have a shared responsibility to maintain common areas and their own lots to an agreed-upon standard.
According to research from the University of NSW, about 4 million Australians live in strata properties.
And it's a figure set to grow, with high-density housing on the rise.
With more than two-thirds of Australian households having a pet, according to Animal Medicines Australia, experts have concerns current strata laws do not meet modern housing and lifestyle needs.
Unless a strata property in the territory has its own by-laws about pets, properties must follow NT strata law which, in most cases, requires a majority of body corporate members to approve pets.
Strata Community Association president Joshua Baldwin said amending by-laws to allow pets could be costly.
He said other states, such as NSW, had a better approach by legislating “blanket approvals” unless body corporate members created rules around pets, such as not allowing them in shared spaces.
Joshua Baldwin says pets are “important parts of family” and “part of community”. (ABC News: Ashlin Blieschke)
Mr Baldwin said bans on pets were often a result of residents having “previous negative experiences with animals”.
“We are talking about living in a community that needs to be harmonious,”
he said.
“Such as a retiree and a working occupant … the retiree might not want to hear a dog barking all day when the owners are at work.”
‘A lot of sad goodbyes'
While the RSPCA says housing issues lead to 15 to 30 per cent of pet surrenders nationwide, PAWS Darwin, a pet rehoming organisation, says local figures are about 70 to 80 per cent.
“We have a lot of tears … a lot of sad goodbyes for people that just do genuinely love their animals and don't have any other options. It's either that or be homeless,” said PAWS Darwin general manager Rebekah Leek.
Rebekah Leek says it's “devastating” for owners when they have to give up pets for housing reasons. (ABC News: Michael Donnelly)
Ms Leek said it was a myth that just “nuisance dogs” were surrendered.
“So often we get them, they're old and have just been with their families for 10 years,” she said.
“These are dogs have lived in the house, have been well-behaved, had all these years of life experience and are the perfect pets.
“It's not based on behaviour.”
Emily and Bianca wanted to rent their Darwin property to tenants with a pet. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
While the legislation remains the same in the NT, Ms Johnston said when she and Bianca moved to Alice Springs and rented out their Darwin property, they knew they wanted to pay it forward.
“We [preferenced] people with pets … because we know how difficult it is to find accommodation in Darwin,” Ms Johnston said.
“If you can ease the stress for someone, it [can] go a long way.”
