Two Minnesota bills that seek to protect the rights of tenants who own dogs will be heard by the House Finance and Policy Committee on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. House File 758 seeks to prohibit landlords from encouraging or requiring tenants to declaw or devocalize an animal; while, among other provisions, House File 831 would prohibit certain housing developments from imposing breed-specific or weight-based dog ownership restrictions on tenants. The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports both HF 758 and HF 831, and encourages Minnesota residents to contact the members of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee in support of both bills.
HOUSE FILE 758
This bill would define “declawing” and “devocalizing”, and prohibit landlords from:
(1) Advertising the availability of a property in a manner designed to discourage anyone from applying for occupancy because an applicant’s animal has not been declawed or devocalized.
(2) Refusing to allow occupancy or otherwise make unavailable a real property because of a person’s refusal to declaw or devocalize an animal.
(3) Requiring a tenant or occupant to declaw or devocalize an animal allowed on the premises.
AKC believes devocalization (AKA, bark softening or “debarking”) is a viable veterinary procedure; and that the decision on whether to have this procedure performed is best left to individual owners and their dog’s veterinarian, not to landlords. AKC supports HF 758.
Click here for more information about “debarking”.
HOUSE FILE 831
Under this bill, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency would require each housing development that is financed on or after January 1, 2024, to authorize a resident to own or otherwise maintain one or more common household pets within the resident’s dwelling unit, subject to applicable state laws and local government ordinances and other reasonable conditions.
HF 831 defines “reasonable conditions” as nuisance behaviors, leashing requirements, requirements to carry liability insurance coverage, limits on the number of animals in a unit based on the unit’s size, and prohibitions on dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs.
HF 831 also limits housing developments from imposing (1) breed restrictions, (2) limits on the weight of a pet, and (3) onetime nonrefundable or monthly maintenance fees, which are explicitly excluded from the definition of “reasonable conditions”.
AKC strongly endorses the right to own, keep, and breed dogs in a responsible and humane manner. We believe that responsible dog ownership is compatible with most living arrangements. AKC opposes laws that limit the number of dogs a responsible owner may own as well as unreasonable limitations on pet ownership, such as the prohibition of dogs for residents of senior citizen and government-subsidized housing facilities. For these reasons, we support HF 831.
HOW TO EXPRESS SUPPORT
Minnesota residents are encouraged to contact the members of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee to express support of both HF 758 and HF 831.
Rep. Michael Howard, Chair
473 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-7158
Email: rep.michael.howard@house.mn.gov
Rep. Esther Agbaje, Vice Chair
651-296-8659
Email: rep.esther.agbaje@house.mn.gov
Rep. Brian Johnson
651-296-4346
Email: rep.brian.johnson@house.mn.gov
Rep. Ethan Cha
651-296-1147
Email: rep.ethan.cha@house.mn.gov
Rep. Jeff Dotseth
651-296-4308
Email: rep.jeff.dotseth@house.mn.gov
Rep. Hodan Hassan
651-296-0294
Email: rep.hodan.hassan@house.mn.gov
Rep. Samakab Hussein
651-296-5158
Email: rep.samakab.hussein@house.mn.gov
Rep. Alicia Kozlowski
651-296-2228
Email: rep.alicia.kozlowski@house.mn.gov
Rep. Andrew Myers
651-296-9188
Email: rep.andrew.myers@house.mn.gov
Rep. Jim Nash
651-296-4282
Email: rep.jim.nash@house.mn.gov
Rep. Matt Norris
651-296-2907
Email: rep.matt.norris@house.mn.gov
Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega
651-296-9714
Email: rep.maria.isa.perez-vega@house.mn.gov
Rep. John Petersburg
651-296-5368
Email: rep.john.petersburg@house.mn.gov
Rep. Liz Olson (Ex-officio)
651-296-4246
Email: rep.liz.olson@house.mn.gov
Those wishing to support either bill in person are encouraged to attend the committee hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 3PM in Room 5, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org.