Pets are expensive. They’re even more expensive for renters, who often have to pay hundreds of dollars in deposits and other fees for their animals.
A new Denver program aims to change that: The city will give up to $300 to a limited number of pet owners in City Council District 10 to cover rental deposits and other costs.
The city will admit up to 100 pet owners into the pilot program, which aims to save people from giving up their pets.
“Denver is becoming increasingly unaffordable, but that shouldn’t mean we have to choose between a home and the loved ones we share it with,” Councilman Chris Hinds said in a press release.
The program also may cover spaying and neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and pet registration. It is only available in District 10, which includes Congress Park, West and South City Park, Cheesman Park, most of Capitol Hill, Civic Center, Central Business District and Union Station.
A consultant “will review applications and select eligible participants on a first-come, first-served basis,” according to Hinds’ office.
The nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project will distribute the funds. CEDP also runs the city’s rental assistance program.
Applications can be made online in English or Spanish.
A recent state law, HB 23-1068, caps pet deposits at $300 and requires that any amount charged upfront be fully refundable.
The University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection will conduct a long-term survey of participants to see if the program reduces pet relinquishment.
