HABRI builds coalition around pet-inclusive housing policy

HABRI used its third annual Spring Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., on May 6 to put pet-inclusive housing at the center of a broader policy push, bringing together leaders from pet care, animal welfare, housing, research, and policy. The event ended with the launch of the new Pets and Families Housing Coalition, whose founding partners include HABRI, the American Pet Products Association, Independence Pet Holdings, Mars, and the Michelson Center for Public Policy. Forum sessions covered disability protections tied to housing and assistance animals, market-based approaches, animal welfare system impacts, and lessons from the U.K. (prnewswire.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, housing policy is increasingly a continuity-of-care issue, not just an animal welfare issue. dvm360 framed pet-inclusive housing as a factor in pet retention and ongoing access to veterinary care, while HABRI’s own 2026 research call shows the group is investing in evidence around how rental barriers affect relinquishment, housing security, and community systems. That focus aligns with published shelter research showing housing-related issues accounted for 14% of more than 1 million intake records analyzed across 21 U.S. shelters from 2019 to 2023. (habri.org)

What to watch: Watch for the coalition’s policy agenda to take shape at the local, state, and federal levels, especially as related housing legislation such as the Pets Belong With Families Act continues to advance in Congress. (prnewswire.com)