A Task Force of Animal Welfare Organizations Fights the Pet Housing Crisis

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, sky-rocketing rent increases have pushed people out of their homes. In only one year, rent in Phoenix has climbed 28%. Maricopa County just can’t meet the current, desperate need for housing quickly enough. In January 2022, more than 5,000 eviction filings were recorded as homelessness increased. In response to this housing crisis, seven of the leading Arizona animal welfare organizations, including AHS, formed Pet Housing Help AZ, a centralized website offering resources, fostering, and temporary homes for residents unable to house their pets.

On average, in 2021 alone, the nation has seen a 10.1% rent increase. Phoenix saw the highest rent gouging in America, with an 18.8% average increase for renters. The Arizona Housing Coalition shows this statistic coincides with another, a rise in first-time homelessness with elderly citizens being significantly impacted. As big real estate investors move into Arizona from California and Texas, large multi-family units are forced into displacement with no finances available to afford their pets. This leads to crowded animal shelters with thousands of homeless pets.

“What we are finding at the Arizona Humane Society is that even if pet owners are finding a place to rent, another applicant may swoop in and offer to pay a higher monthly rent,” says Lindsay La Pre, the Arizona Humane Society’s Pet Resource Center Manager. “For some, this may mean having to make the difficult decision of choosing between keeping their pet or having a place to stay.”

Arizona has no rent control law. Therefore, rent will steadily increase, and this problem will grow despite billions of dollars of federal stimulus funding coming into Arizona for homelessness. Much of this is focused on long-term solutions. The Pet Housing Help AZ Task Force serves the Phoenix community by offering solutions now.

The task force efforts include:

• Expanding temporary foster programs for pet owners
• Increasing surrender prevention and intervention efforts
• Increasing collaboration with human and health service agencies and animal shelters
• Increasing education and awareness around the benefits of pet-friendly housing for landlords
• A specialized website – pethousinghelpaz.org – with resources and easy-to-use tools to help owners find permanent or temporary homes for their pets by connecting them directly with people who want to help.

Watch here to learn more about Pet Housing Help AZ with AHS and Fox 10 News.

Pet owners in need of help or community members who want to help can do so by visiting pethousinghelpaz.org. Through the specialized website, pet owners can access bi-lingual resources, sign up to rehome their pet or connect with fellow pet lovers to temporarily foster their pet until they get back on their feet.

Those who want to help can sign up to become a temporary foster parent to a pet owner in need.