For Calgary renters with pets, finding a home can mean competing for a fraction of the city’s already limited supply of affordable rentals.

About 53 per cent of Calgary households have pets, but only about 10 per cent of rental listings priced at $1,600 or less allowed pets in a May 20 snapshot, according to the City of Calgary.

The City defines $1,600 or less as affordable housing. The figure comes from a RentFaster.ca snapshot conducted May 20 as part of the City’s work on pet-inclusive housing.

More than 60 per cent of renters reported being denied housing because of a pet, according to research conducted by the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business in fall 2025.

That leaves pet owners searching through a smaller pool of rentals, with some facing the choice between finding a pet-friendly home or giving up their animal.

The Calgary Humane Society reports that more than 500 animals are abandoned or surrendered annually because of housing insecurity, according to the City.

The City does not have a dedicated system tracking how many renters struggle to find pet-friendly housing, nor does it track individual pet surrenders specifically tied to an inability to find a rental.

Landlords weigh risks of allowing pets

For Calgary landlord Tim Mangat, allowing pets comes with concerns about damage, but he still accepts animals in his rental properties.

Mangat said about 80 per cent of the applicants he receives have some type of pet, usually a dog or cat.

He said that number is partly because he advertises his properties as pet-friendly, meaning renters with pets are more likely to apply. But his experience with pets has not always been positive.

In one rental, a dog destroyed a sofa worth about $2,500, Mangat said.

“Cats are a concern because of their peeing if they do pee in the house,” Mangat said.

“It’s hard to get the smell out, especially on the carpets.”

Mangat said he previously rented a property to a tenant with five dogs and three cats, which he found was too many animals. He now limits the number of pets allowed in his properties to three. He also sometimes charges a pet fee, depending on market conditions. When the rental market is softer, he said he may waive the fee to attract tenants.

But Mangat does not see the fee as protection against damage.

“To be honest with you, pet fees are pretty useless,” Mangat said.

“The tenant is ultimately responsible for all damages.”

Instead, Mangat said he uses a pet application that sets expectations for tenants and allows him to address problems if an animal becomes excessively loud or interferes with other tenants. He does not typically ask renters for a pet resume, proof of training, or vaccination records.

City looking to reduce barriers for pet owners

The City said research conducted by the Haskayne School of Business in partnership with the Calgary Humane Society found most landlords are not opposed to pets themselves, but are concerned about the risks that can come with them.

Those concerns include property damage, noise and liability, the City said.

In response, the City has partnered with the Calgary Humane Society on a Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative focused on practical tools, education and collaboration between landlords and tenants.

The goal is to help landlords and renters establish clear expectations and reduce the risks associated with having pets in rental housing.

The City will also introduce criteria in its non-market housing grant programs that recognizes pet-friendly policies.

Pet-friendly policies will not be mandatory, but they will be considered as one factor when applications are evaluated.

For Mangat, the difficulty pet owners face finding rentals is clear.

“It’s hard for them to find a good property, like a nice property,” he said.

He said landlords can sometimes focus on avoiding potential problems without fully understanding the responsibilities of both landlords and tenants.

“Most pet owners are very good at taking care of their pets,” Mangat said.

The City is encouraging landlords and renters to use available resources through the Calgary Humane Society to build trust, establish expectations, and help more Calgarians remain housed with their pets.