APPA continues to work with and support Animal Policy Group (APG) to advance pet friendly housing initiatives and keep families and pets together. September marked the start of meaningful payoffs at the local level. Focus on providing data-based solutions and working with local coalition partners has earned buy-in from lawmakers in Dallas, Portland, and Fort Worth. Legislative champions and paths forward have been identified in two of those three jurisdictions. Data has been the game-changer in these conversations – new opportunities for data analysis with several partner organizations have taken our advocacy to a new level.
Denver, CO
Pet Deposit Assistance
The Denver Pilot Pet Deposit Assistance Program is taking a new shape. APG Vice President of Government Relations joined a meeting with APG’s partner organization for program implementation, Shared Home Project and Councilmember Chris Hinds to present applicant feedback and discuss opportunities to improve access to the remaining funds. Councilmember Hinds agreed to open the funds to be used to pet rent and/or pet deposits to ensure that funds are better able to meet the varying needs of low-income renters with pets. APG will be visiting Denver in October to participate in an in-district canvassing and resource fair event to raise awareness for the program.
ESA “reasonable accommodations” Training/Implementing CO HB 26-1045
APG has joined a new coalition of organizations in Colorado working to improve Emotional Support Animal “reasonable accommodations requests” compliance among Colorado property managers. The coalition’s goal is to produce robust training for ESA reasonable accommodations requests under the new Colorado law and to implement the training as a Continuing Education course requirement for property managers. APG is working with disability rights, animal welfare, and academic partners on this effort.
Washington DC: Roscoe’s Law
The Pets in Housing Amendment Act of 2025 (Amendment), which would prohibit insurance providers from discriminating against certain breeds of dogs in their policies and practices, remains unheard in the Committee on Health. The DC People & Paws Coalition, of which APG is a member, is working on a coordinated campaign aiming to get the Committee on Health to hear the Amendment by year end.led for early September. Fort Worth Housing Solutions will attend the meeting as well.
Dallas, Texas: Transparency in Advertising
AAPG is continuing to work with Chairman Zarin Gracey on pet policy transparency in rental housing advertisements. This month, at Councilmember Gracey’s request, APG and several coalition partners met with the Chair of the Dallas Animal Advisory Committee to socialize this issue. The meeting was extremely successful, garnering strong support from the Chair and a commitment to help advance our work. APG subsequently met with Councilmember Gracey’s District Director to help prepare Gracey and his staff to pitch pet policy transparency as a Dallas priority initiative for the 2027 state legislative session. Should this advance as a priority, APG has drafted proposed legislation; if not APG will move forward with a stand-alone local ordinance.
APG also partnered with Quinn Center for Animal Welfare Innovation and Shared Home Project to develop a first-of-its-kind Portland-specific data report that was shared with Councilor Avalos and her staff.
Portland, Oregon: Pet Rent/Deposit Caps, Prohibiting Breed/Weight/Size Restrictions, and Transparency in Advertising
APG and partner organization Humane World for Animal had productive meeting with Councilor Candace Avalos, Chair of the Housing and Permitting Committees. Councilor Avalos intends to explore two different ordinances in Portland related to pets-inclusive housing, one mirroring the recently passed Seattle junk fee ban (which includes a total prohibition on pet rent) and a second addressing pet-inclusive affordable housing.
Fort Worth, Texas: Transparency in Advertising
APG is supporting on-the-ground partner Operation Kindness in expanding the
Dallas effort to neighboring Fort Worth. APG prepared fact sheets, talking points, and draft
legislation to Operation Kindness ahead of its meeting with City Councilmember Macy Hill, who was very supportive of this endeavor. APG continues to work with partner organizations to develop a Fort Worth-specific data report to share with Councilmember Hill.
Each time we achieve a milestone, we observe an increase in the number of households with pets. This rise in pet ownership significantly boosts demand for products and services among our members, including pet food, supplies, veterinary care, and technological innovations. By remaining a member, you play a crucial role in supporting this strategic initiative, which is essential for the well-being and future growth of the pet industry. Discover more about the other advocacy projects that APPA is actively engaged in here.
You can learn more about the Animal Policy group here.