NEWS: Every Dog Has It's Day...

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
2 March 2010

City launches pilot scheme to allow tenants to keep pets

IF THEY'D arrived a day earlier they could have ended up in the dog house - but seven pups were born just in time for the lifting of a council ban on animals in a pair of Niddrie highrises.

When Katie the one-year-old Staffordshire terrier-boxer cross became pregnant at her home in Greendykes House she wasn't even supposed to be living there.

Edinburgh Council maintained a ban on pets in its council houses until last Friday, when it launched a pilot scheme allowing pet owners who live in highrise flats to keep their animals.

It wasn't a moment too soon for Katie. Owner Dave Parry said: "She's a bit young to be having pups but she had a bit of a run in with another dog I was looking after, a Staffordshire terrier called Casper.

"A friend of mine was looking for a new home for Casper and I agreed to take him temporarily until we could find something permanent, and then nature took its course.

"I tried to keep Casper and Katie apart but you know dogs, they've got a mind of their own.

"I decided not to keep them both on because there's no room in the flat for two dogs, but now I've ended up with another seven."

Mr Parry, 47, who cares for his disabled wife Lorraine, also 47, has already found homes for most of the pups - largely amongst his neighbours at Greendykes House who are keen to adopt pets under the newly liberalised animal regime.

Edinburgh City Council has been working with the Scottish SPCA on a new scheme to encourage better animal ownership in highrise flats.

If the pilot is successful it may lead to the council rolling out the scheme to allow tenants across the capital to keep pets in highrises - as long as they are responsible pet owners and keep the needs of their neighbours as well as their pets in mind.

Alex Robertson, 55, a self-employed painter who lives with his partner Sandra Stacey, 63, in Greendykes House, regularly cares for Ms Stacey's granddaughter's springer spaniel Flynt.

He said: "We've been looking after Flynt for about four years now, thanks largely to the concierge who has turned a blind eye to us keeping him all these years.

"We still had to put up with the odd neighbour moaning that we weren't supposed to have pets in the block, but that's all going to change now. To be honest, you couldn't really blame the neighbours because many of them had to give up their pets to take on the flats because of the animal ban.

"Most of us just signed the missive and brought the pets anyway, but if the council ever decided to enforce the ban then we'd probably have to move. The dog is like part of the family."

The project will also see the Scottish SPCA give essential advice on how to care for dogs and other pets in highrise blocks.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Jenni Surgeon, said: "While some dogs are suitable to live in a flat, others simply will not enjoy this environment, which can result in problems not only for the owner, but for neighbours and the local community. We hope that local dog owners will find this scheme helpful and informative."