Pet laws create rental opportunities for dog owners, yet financial costs remain a barrier

The pet-friendly rental market in New Zealand has improved with recent changes to rental laws, but dog owners in Auckland say pet bonds and a tough housing market is still making it difficult to find pet-friendly accommodation.

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act rules, which took effect on December 1, 2025, allows owners to request a pet bond of up to two weeks rent on top of the tenancy bond, and restricts landlords from rejecting pets without reason, according to Tenancy Services.

However, Auckland tenant Ramandeep Kaur says the new pet bond has made renting harder by increasing upfront costs.

“I think pet bonds have made it harder, because it's an additional financial burden. So, four weeks of rent as a bond plus two weeks of additional rent. So that's six weeks of rent.

“I would like the pet bond to be either reduced or in total the bond should be considered. That's a lot of burden on a person,” she says.

Kaur has a nine-year-old rescued German shepherd named Lachi and says finding a rental property is harder if you own a pet.

“People don't really like pets in their houses. They wouldn't explicitly say it, but if they don’t prefer pets, they will choose an application without a pet over an application which has a pet.”

She says big dogs may make it harder to find accommodation.

“I have a german shepherd She’s a fairly big dog, so I need to make sure that the house is sufficient for her,” she says.

Barfoot & Thompson Real Estate says Auckland's rental market has become more pet friendly since the changes.

General manager of property management Anil Anna says the company had prioritised educating landlords on the changes and advantages of pets.

“Our goal is to move beyond traditional hesitancy by highlighting the tangible benefits of being a pet-friendly landlord.”

Anna says that pet owners tended to remain in their rental properties longer, limiting the time landlords had to deal with property vacancies and the associated costs.

He says the introduction of pet bonds provide landlords more security.

“It provides landlords with the financial security they were previously looking for, effectively 'de-risking' the decision to say yes to a dog.”

SPCA New Zealand says housing affordability is a key issue for pet owners.

“Housing difficulties can be a significant factor in people struggling to keep their pets,” says SPCA senior scientific officer Dr Alison Vaughan.

One third of families live in rental properties in New Zealand and face issues including a lack of pet-friendly properties, insecure tenancy and overcrowding.

“Changes to people’s circumstances can force families into the heart-breaking decision to re-home their much-loved pets," Vaughan says.

The SPCA said recent changes to end blanket bans on pets were helpful, but more needs to be done.

Pet retailer Animates says rising cost-of-living concerns also impact pet care.

General manager Nathalie Moolenschot says consumers were taking a more mindful approach to spending and seeking value.

“Whether that’s reducing spend on non-essential items or switching brands to ensure they’re achieving the best outcomes for both their pets and their household budget.”

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AI was not used in the creation of this story.