32 ~ Sunday, July 18, 1999 — North Shore News Landlords should let pets inte I received an interest- ing phone call the other day. Shauna from = North Vancouver asked if she could “Bend my car a little.” “Sure!” I replied. I’m always up for a good conver- sation about dogs. Well, it turns out that Shauna was a little irked. She may be forced out of her apartment in the fall. She feels discrimi- nated against because she owns a dog and there is so little rental housing availaole for her. Tr has been a while since I have had to peruse throu fh the classifieds in search o lace to live, So, admittedly 1 ave not given much thought to the subject. But I remem- ber when ‘ too was frustrated north shore news pETs Concerns can easily be addressed by responsible tenants easevcosneoseces. paneses by the bold print “NO PETS.” It. is a shame that some landlords still will not rent their suites to tenants who own dogs or cats. Maybe they’ve had a bad experience in the past with irresponsible pet owners. Or maybe they simply do not like pets (I just can’t imagine!). Before I go bashing land- lords, let's look at their side of the coin briefly. These people have invested then money in a property. They want the property value to appreciate, not depreciate. If they rent the property to a tenant who has a dog, they run the risk of having that animal damage their proper- ty. Maybe the tenant is responsible cnough to pay for che damages .-. maybe they aren’t. The landlord could be allergic to dogs. Maybe the landlord is afraid of the noise a dog may make during the day when the ten- ant is not at home. Or as J mentioned before, maybe they just don’t like dogs. 7 Pour n new. ‘puppy is the joy of your | life. He’ s cute, he’s ; cuddly, he's playful, and he’ s making a mess. all over your house... < ~ So how do you train puppies? What do you feed them? When will they sleep through the night without making your neighbors insane? These are questions all new puppy owners ; ask themselves: “Well, now you can find the answers. Our fur-loving puppy “parties give you a chance to meet other new puppy owners. “You can trade advice, share experiences, and discover some . “ tried-and-true methods others have used to care for your new, already much-loved family friend: It's-also a chance f for your puppy to make some new. “ friends,.too. So give us a call and find out when our next puppy ; party is. Your Hiving ro roorn rug will appreciate it. 165 Riverside Drive North Vancouver: ust off the Uj Levels at the a Sona Narrows Bridge) -» Oy sour selected fine gardens Considering all this, I can understand a landJord being a little leery. There are still a few irresponsible dog owners around. But if landlords are afraid of damage, why not ask for an extra security deposit? Some of my stu- dents who are renters say that they would have willing- ly forked out a bigger dam- age deposit to be allowed to keep a dog. The tenant should also be able to pro- duce a certificate proving the dog has had some formal obedience training. What about fleas, you ask? There are excelient products now available from a veteri- narian that control fleas on a dog. hat about the smell and dirt? Well, a responsible dog owner should be bathing their dog cvery couple of months. Rental agreements can include a clause that car- pets are steamed cleaned every six months at the ten- ant’s expense. (Don’t give -me grief about this, if you had your own home you would be forking out that cash to do it anyway!) What about noise when the tenant is not home? There are so many doggie daycares around these days, all offering reasonable rates, that the dog owner has no excuse if they have a yappy dog. If you don’t like th idea of a day care, consider a professional dog walker. I would suggest one that walks dogs in groups of three or less, such as The Purple Leash. What about a large dog in a small apartment? Listen, there are people out there who live in homes in excess of 3,000 sq. ft. who keep their’ dog in a crate about three fect square all day. Regardiess of these rea~ sons, dogs are now consid- ered part of the family. We have all heard of the’ health benefits of dog ownership. People who share their life with a dog are healthier, hap- pier and more relaxed. They are viewed as. bein t social. Dogs are not just ani- more’ apartments mals; they are companions. They are someone to talk to at the end of a hectic day. They love unconditionally and in today’s society, which seems to be getting colder and angrier, they offer a friendship that never falters. Dogs are now welcome in many businesses. Some stores even offer water bowls out front. Dogs are used j in hos- pitals as a form of therapy. Often a dog is the only ching that can make a gravely sick. . child smile or an elderly per- son laugh. Hotels often allow canine guests as ‘do many camp grounds. ‘Airlines have recognized the fact that peo- ple want to travel with their pets and have become more . ~ accommodating. . : With the price of homes skyrocketing, peopic have no - choice but to rent. They | should not be. denied: the- pleasure. of sharing:t their. life’. with man-and woman’s best : friend. - — Joan Klucha ‘is: ‘the’ owner of Sierra K9 training. You can reach her via-e-mail at