Bald Range wildfire victim calls for more pet-friendly housing

A family displaced by the Bald Range wildfire is urging landlords and the provincial government to improve access to pet-friendly housing after spending months separated from their four cats.

The Hayman family lost their home in August and found temporary accommodation that accepted their two dogs. But finding housing for their cats — Peaches, Miso, Gauntlett and Calamari — proved more difficult.

The cats have been in the BC SPCA’s emergency boarding program since the fire. The family has now secured long-term, pet-friendly housing and expects to reunite with the cats in November.

“It’s kind of been impossible,” Erin Hayman said of the search.

Hayman said the family faced the possibility of giving up the cats while already coping with the loss of their home.

“We were trying to grapple with the loss of everything already, and then at one point we thought we’d have to give our cats away,” she said.

The family says the BC SPCA’s boarding program has provided much-needed support, particularly for their daughters.

Hayman, who is also a landlord, is encouraging other property owners to consider tenants with pets on a case-by-case basis.

“Humans are never going to not want pets,” she said, adding that animals are especially valuable to seniors and children.

Sarah Herring, senior officer of government relations with the BC SPCA, said too many families are being forced to surrender or rehome pets because they cannot find suitable housing.

Herring acknowledged landlords’ concerns about property damage but said evidence suggests tenants with pets do not cause more damage than those without them.

The BC SPCA is calling on the provincial government to update housing laws to improve access for families with pets. Its advocacy campaign urges British Columbians to ask provincial election candidates to commit to changes.