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Keep Pets And Families Together In Public Housing

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Families should not have to choose between safe housing and a beloved dog or cat. Congress can fix that now.

Keep Pets And Families Together In Public Housing

For millions of Americans, dogs and cats are family. They provide comfort, stability, emotional support, companionship, and routine. But public housing rules can still force families to give up pets because of blanket restrictions based on breed, size, or weight.

The Pets Belong With Families Act, introduced in April 2026 by Sen. Adam Schiff and Reps. Mike Lawler and Jason Crow, would prohibit public housing agencies from imposing pet restrictions based on breed, size, or weight. It would also place reasonable limits on pet deposits, including income-based limits and reimbursement requirements when no pet-related damage occurs.1

The bill recognizes a simple truth: housing policy can become animal welfare policy. When families cannot keep pets where they live, dogs and cats can end up surrendered to shelters even when they are loved, safe, and well cared for.

Breed And Size Bans Are Too Broad

Rep. Lawler’s office says the bill would amend Section 31 of the Housing Act of 1937 to prohibit restrictions based exclusively on breed in public housing, while still allowing discretion for individual animals deemed dangerous.3 That distinction matters. Public safety should be based on behavior and responsible ownership, not assumptions about a dog’s breed, size, or appearance.

Rep. Crow’s office said the legislation would prevent unnecessary breed restrictions in public housing and help keep people and pets together.4 GovInfo lists H.R. 8378 as the Pets Belong With Families Act, introduced in the 119th Congress and referred to the House Financial Services Committee.5

Keeping Pets Housed Keeps Pets Out Of Shelters

The ASPCA supports the bill, saying it would remove unreasonable housing barriers for pet-owning families applying for public housing.1 Best Friends Animal Society has also urged support for the act, noting that breed restrictions in public housing can force otherwise responsible owners to part with pets.6

Congress and HUD can protect both people and animals by passing this bill and implementing clear, fair rules. Public housing agencies should be able to address genuine safety problems. They should not be able to ban a family’s dog simply because of broad categories that ignore the individual animal.

Every unnecessary surrender adds pressure to shelters. Every preventable separation harms families and pets. A housing system that keeps families together is also a humane animal welfare policy.

Sign now to urge Congress to pass the Pets Belong With Families Act and stop public housing rules from forcing families to give up beloved pets.

More on this issue:

  1. ASPCA, ASPCA (20 April 2026), "ASPCA Applauds Federal Housing Legislation to Help Keep People and Pets Together."
  2. Office of Senator Adam Schiff, Senator Adam Schiff (20 April 2026), "NEWS: Sen. Schiff Introduces Bill to Expand Protections to Keep Families and Pets Together in Public Housing."
  3. Office of Representative Mike Lawler, Representative Mike Lawler (20 April 2026), "Reps. Lawler, Crow Introduce Bill to Expand Protections to Keep Families and Pets Together in Public Housing."
  4. Office of Representative Jason Crow, Representative Jason Crow (21 April 2026), "Crow Introduces Bill to Keep People and Their Pets Together in Public Housing."
  5. U.S. Government Publishing Office, GovInfo (20 April 2026), "H.R. 8378, Pets Belong With Families Act."
  6. Best Friends Animal Society, Best Friends Animal Society (2026), "Help keep pets and families together."

The Petition

Dear Members of the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; U.S. House Financial Services Committee; and HUD Secretary,

I urge you to support and pass the Pets Belong With Families Act and ensure that public housing rules do not force families to give up beloved dogs and cats because of arbitrary breed, size, or weight restrictions.

Pets are part of the family. For many public housing residents, a dog or cat provides companionship, emotional support, routine, safety, and stability. No family should have to choose between secure housing and a beloved animal who has done nothing wrong.

The Pets Belong With Families Act offers a practical solution. It would prohibit public housing agencies from imposing pet restrictions based on breed, size, or weight, while still allowing action when an individual animal poses a legitimate safety risk. That is a fairer and more effective approach than broad bans that judge animals by appearance instead of behavior.

The bill would also limit excessive pet deposits and require reimbursement when no pet-related damage occurs. That matters for families already struggling with housing costs. A deposit should not become another barrier that separates people from their pets.

When families are forced to surrender animals because of housing rules, shelters pay the price too. Dogs and cats who are loved and cared for may end up in crowded facilities simply because a policy left their families with no choice. Preventing unnecessary surrender is humane, practical, and fiscally responsible.

Please advance the Pets Belong With Families Act, support its passage, and work with HUD to implement clear public housing rules that protect residents, respect responsible pet ownership, and keep families together.

Public housing policy should not break the bond between people and pets.

Sincerely,

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