Pets

Your pets

If you wish to keep a pet, you must read our Pet Standard guidance (Word) before you apply for permission to have a pet. The Pet Standard gives you advice on:

  • What pets you can keep at your home
  • The pet care standards we expect
  • What you must do to make sure your pets are properly cared for.

Council tenants and pets

Pets you need our permission to keep

If you wish to keep a large pet such as a dog or a cat you must ask our permission before you bring the animal home.

Breeds we do not allow

We will not give you permission to keep pit bull-type dogs or any other prohibited breed as defined by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Find out more about dangerous dogs.

You must have your dog micro chipped. This will be needed if we give permission for a dog in your home.

Pets you do not need our permission to keep

You do not need written permission for small animals such as gerbils and guinea pigs

Removing your pets

If you don’t keep your pet under proper control or you let it be a nuisance to your neighbours or us, you will be breaching your tenancy terms and conditions and we will take away permission for you to keep it. You will have to remove your pet from your home.

If you do not remove your pet, we will take action against you which could include:

  • Taking out an injunction to force you to remove your pet or
  • Serving you with a Notice to Seek Possession of your home.

Council leaseholders and pets

If you are a council leaseholder, you don't need to ask permission to keep a pet but it is a condition of your lease that any animals do not cause nuisance or annoyance.

We would advise you to read our Pet Standard guidance (Word) before bringing a pet home.