'I was forced to give up my dog or be homeless'

A man has been forced to part ways with his 'best friend', his dog Bruno, in order to rent a house after being turned down by landlords more than 80 times. James Strauch, 41, found himself needing a new home when his relationship ended.

Despite offering landlords a £1,000 deposit to house him and his four-year-old Labrador mastiff cross, he was repeatedly rejected. The maintenance manager from Rhyl, Denbighshire said that after filling out the application forms to request a house viewing, the agencies would come back saying that the properties were not suitable for pets.

Confronted with the grim choice between giving up Bruno or facing homelessness, James then discovered someone who could provide Bruno a loving home.

READ MORE: Renters warned they face 'double misery' as rent prices hit new record high

Reflecting on the ordeal, James shared: "Initially I was very honest I'd said I do have a pet and it'd be a straight 'no'. I went online and ask for advice from owners clubs of all sorts and I was told by a few people to lie in the application."

The deceptive approach worked for securing viewings, as he stated: "As soon as I'd put on that I didn't have a pet I'd get a viewing practically the same day if not that day the following day."

But honesty at the landlord meetings backfired, with James saying: "As soon as I spoke to the landlord and explained my situation saying I missed out in the form that I do have a pet and that I am more than happy with giving them £1,000 or whatever it may be and have the place completely redecorate when I move out - they would just say no straight away."

James, who found himself in a dire housing situation, shared his frustration about landlord's' refusal to accept pets without giving reasons. He recounted how he had to stay in a friend's converted garage for six months while searching for a place of his own, only to have to leave when the friend's baby arrived.

Faced with homelessness or rehoming his dog Bruno, James made the heart-wrenching decision. "I had been all he has ever known. They are genuinely not just a pet - that dog meant as much to me as any child would to any parent," he said. "I just find it incredible that if I did have a three or four year old child there wouldn't have been an issue. But because it was a pet it was a straight no."

He described the difficulty of not only having to give up his beloved pet but also losing their daily routine. "It was hard enough going through a relationship break up, but all the way through that - as daft as it may sound - I'd go for a walk with the dog and you'd talk to the dog and often I would say 'As hard as it is at least it is just you and me mate.'"

James continued: "I'd wake up at six in the morning and I'd go for an hour and a half walk before I went to work and then I'd come back from work and do the same."

He added: "You do that every year for three or four years and that becomes a huge routine and then suddenly not having that I'd still wake up early and not having to go anywhere it was just a strange situation to be in - it was horrible.

"As soon he was rehomed I phoned the very next property that came up, had a look around the following day on a Friday and then had the keys in my hand by the Monday morning - which was bonkers really."

He expressed his hope to reunite with Bruno in the future. He added: "I totally appreciate that there are probably an awful lot of very irresponsible dog owners that would let the dog wreck a house but I would love to know if there is more irresponsible dog owners than irresponsible parents that let their children draw all over the walls. Or is it just landlords going 'Well it is one less problem that we have to deal with so we just cut them out'."

The UK government is considering changes to laws regarding renting with pets in England, with the second reading of the Renters' Rights Bill having taken place in Parliament. Scotland is also exploring new legislation.

The RSPCA has welcomed the UK bill, believing it will force landlords to provide reasons for denying requests to keep a pet.