HAWAIIAN HUMANE SOCIETY

Pet owners suffer in
tight rental market

Humans are not the only ones affected by the current housing crunch. At least 688 residential projects allow pets of some kind on Oahu, and there is a need for more. Establishing more pet-friendly housing for Oahu residents is the mission of the Hawaiian Humane Society's Pets in Housing advocacy program, which encourages renters, landlords, community associations, boards and property management companies to get involved.

A resident's role Responsible pet ownership starts at home. Whether you rent or own your home, people with pets can influence the public perception of pet owners by ensuring that they are responsible. Here are some ways to win over the neighbors: » Always clean up after your pet. » Keep your dog on leash when off your property. » Invite your neighbors to contact you if there is a concern about your pets. » Keep your cat indoors. It will live a longer and healthier life and prevent situations where the animal might be considered a nuisance. » Contact the Hawaiian Humane Society for humane ways to manage excessive barking. » Sterilize your pets to avoid overpopulation. » Maintain a flea and tick control program so that these pests do not spread to neighboring units and common areas.

"There's an 11 percent increase in pet-friendly residential projects from 2003 to 2005," said Cynthia Keolanui, who leads the society's Pets in Housing initiative. "We've been working to support the community's efforts through education on the benefits of housing that welcomes pet owners and supporting all parties through the conversion process. We need more people who care about this issue to get involved.

"Renters are really feeling the shortage because it's a landlord's market right now," said Keolanui. The humane society offers a free posting service to landlords who have rentals available to pet owners. The list divides Oahu by district and gives each building's address, types of pets allowed and limits on number or size of pets.

"Property managers of pet-friendly apartments who still say 'no pets' limit their pool of applicants by more than 50 percent," said Keolanui. "People with pets tend to stay at an address longer and have higher incomes than those without."

The Hawaiian Humane Society offers a variety of resources to landlords and renters, including pet applications, health report forms, a list of common pet problems and solutions. The society has posted a recently updated list of Oahu buildings that allow pets, at www.hawaiianhumane.org. The society also works with boards and community associations to explore "pets possible" policies.

THE INCREASE IN pet ownership is helping to bolster the number of newly built residential projects that allow pets. More than 56 percent of Oahu's families have pets, and dog ownership has increased from 24 percent of homes in 1993 to 40 percent in 2005, according to the humane society's 2005 study by Ward Research.

Irma Cunha and her dog Frank recently moved to Kahala Nui, a retirement community that welcomes seniors and their pets. The pet resident must participate in an interview to ensure that it is friendly.

"When I decided to make the transition from a single-family home to a senior community, I was surprised to find how few options there are for pet owners," said Cunha. "In fact, Kahala Nui was the only pet-friendly senior community where you could own your apartment."

Cunha believes the pathways and lush grounds were created with pets in mind.

"My dog Frank adds so much to my quality of life, and pets have a way of opening up social situations," she said. "It's so much fun to meet other people and their pets where I live, and it helps to create a friendly environment."

The humane society is working with residential projects that are converting to pet-friendly, as well as with projects that seek to place stricter requirements on pet owners.

"There's a tremendous amount of fear, myths and misconceptions in our community," said Keolanui. "What we bring to the table is fact-based information that shows you can create pet-friendly policies in which everyone wins."