What it means to be a ‘Better City for Pets’
This month, Novato was recognized as a “Better City for Pets,” one of just seven Bay Area cities that’ve been designated as the best for people who live, play and work with their pets. This recognition lays out next steps for Novato to be an even more pet-inclusive city and a model for all of Marin.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, “Pet-friendly cities are more economically vibrant and have higher qualities of life. The U.S. Conference of Mayors took an unprecedented step of adopting an entire initiative to encourage cities throughout the U.S. to adopt pet-friendly policies. The initiative, called Better Cities for Pets, emphasizes pet-friendly housing as one of four critical elements. The chief executive officer of the Conference of Mayors, Tom Cochran, said, ‘We know both intuitively and through research that pets enhance not just our physical and emotional health, but even the property values in our communities.’”
Part of Novato’s pet-friendly status is a matter of numbers: An estimated 9,300 households have dogs and about 6,200 have cats. There are more than two dozen public areas to play with dogs on and off leash, seven veterinary clinics in or near the city, 15 pet-focused businesses ranging from food and supplies to boarding and grooming, and an array of support programs for people with pets facing challenges ranging from housing insecurity to the need to escape domestic violence.
Beyond all the lists and numbers lies a heritage of pet-inclusiveness in Novato that doesn’t happen overnight. You can see it on Grant Street during the county’s biggest Fourth of July Parade, dining outside under the trees in Old Town Novato, or enjoying the city’s Art, Wine & Music Festival: Dogs and people mingling easily and in large numbers. Novato’s pet-inclusiveness extends to many other companion animals, including horses, which are part of the landscape more than in any other city in Marin.
Becoming a “Better City for Pets” is part of a vision focused on pet-inclusive housing, to the benefit of both property owners and tenants. As housing policies have come into sharper focus in recent years, accepting pets in rental housing of all forms has taken on increased importance. Old assumptions by property owners about supposed downsides of accepting pets are starting to fall away — a positive trend considering the fact that lack of housing options is the second most common reason for pets being relinquished at Marin Humane’s shelter.
Marin Humane offers a “Pets and Renters” section of its website devoted to helping people and pets stay together. It features links to pet-friendly rental websites and information about creating a “pet resume.” This resume can include important information for property owners including:
• A list of references, including past landlords and neighbors, veterinarians, dog walkers, etc.
• Proof of current vaccines and license
• Any certificates of training
• Proof of spay/neuter
• A photo of your pet, well-lit and happily in the company of people
• An emergency contact for matters related to your pet in your absence
• Evidence of pet insurance
The pets and renters kit also outlines important reminders about how to be a responsible pet guardian once you move in to prevent any issues with neighbors or the landlord.
We’d love to see every city in Marin become a “Better City for Pets.” If you’re interested in learning more or working to help your city achieve this status, please reach out to Lisa Bloch at lbloch@marinhumane.org.
Brian Cooley is the chair of Marin Humane’s advocacy committee and Lisa Bloch is the marketing and communications director for Marin Humane which contributes Tails of Marin articles and welcomes animal-related questions and stories about the people and animals in our community. Go to marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.