Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Firstly, I'd like to thank the Business Committee for allocating time to this proposal and I thank Members who've already expressed support. I'd also like to thank the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross and Cats Protection for their support in the run-up to this debate.

It's estimated that roughly half of households in Wales own pets, but in the private rented sector tenants often talk of blanket bans on owning pets. When I and my missus were looking to rent a place, the estate agents told us that having a dog would be a massive problem. In social housing, there's an underdeveloped pets policy, whilst homeless people face the decision of accessing safe accommodation or keeping their pets.

For those of us who own a pet—and, again, most of you know that I own a whippet—they are very much part of the family. That's why the decisions people are being forced to make are so heartbreaking.

In opening this debate, there are a few points I want to touch on. To begin with, there are very few reasons or issues that can't be resolved when it comes to why someone can't own a pet in rented accommodation. When you're looking for a house, owning a pet presents an additional barrier that, for some, is insurmountable. Dogs Trust run the Lets with Pets project, which looks to encourage landlords and letting agencies to accept tenants with pets and to make the house-hunting process easier for tenants, and it has been an uphill battle for them.

It's starker still when you look at it from a homelessness perspective. The Hope project, again run by Dogs Trust, attempts to help people experiencing homelessness with access to services and support, but, again, owning a pet is a significant barrier. Most homelessness accommodations are unwilling to give a space to someone with a pet because of the concern that they may be needing a room for a long time, given the difficulty in finding pet-friendly accommodation in the housing sector—a vicious cycle. 

That struggle, in turn, links to the welfare crisis we are facing with animal shelters. Dogs Trust and other rescuers often cite trouble finding accommodation as a reason as to why people hand over their animals. 

So, what can we do? Currently, the Welsh Government has no plans to legislate regarding the keeping of pets in rental properties. This position has to change. Wales does need a pets in housing Act. Current legislative provision is not enough. Even if we added to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, the RSPCA, amongst others, have raised concerns that landlords would still refuse pets. They do so en masse already, so unless we make it clear that they can't refuse without good reason, they'll continue to do so. I think many people would agree that you can't give landlords an inch.

It's not often that I say this, but the UK Government is doing one thing right through legislating to strengthen the rights of pet owners. That's the exact sort of thing we should be doing here. I am short on time, and I know that a number of Members want to contribute, but I would simply encourage Members to support this motion. Support this motion to allow everyone the right to a companion and support this motion to make it easier for tenants and those experiencing homelessness to keep their family members. Diolch.