HABRI Spring Policy Forum Rallies Support for Pet-Inclusive Housing

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) hosted its third-annual Spring Policy Forum, focused on a key issue impacting pet ownership in America: Pet-Inclusive Housing. The Forum was attended by leaders spanning pet care, animal welfare, housing, policy and research, focusing together on identifying policies that support access to pet-inclusive housing.

"Ninety-eight percent of pet owners consider their pets an important member of the family, but too many people are not able to get them or keep them because of restrictions on housing, especially rental housing," said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. "HABRI is proud to serve as the convening organization to bring stakeholders together to work on this important issue."

Beginning with a keynote delivered by Lisa Rice, President & CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, the Policy Forum included an overview of protections for individuals with disabilities in housing with pets and assistance animals, and moved into sessions focused on market-based solutions, the impact on the animal welfare and social service systems and learnings from an international case study in the U.K. The Forum included a robust discussion of the policy landscape, including efforts to prohibit breed/weight/size restrictions on pets, capping excessive pet rents and deposits, and mandating pet policy transparency in apartment leasing.

Proceedings concluded with the call to form a new coalition, The Pets and Families Housing Coalition, with founding partners including the American Pet Products Association (APPA), Independence Pet Holdings (IPH), Mars, the Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP) and HABRI. The Coalition will support practical, evidence-based policies that expand access to pet-inclusive housing policies at the local, state and federal levels.

Founding partners bring a track record of advancing pet-inclusive housing through research, policy advocacy and community-based programs designed to reduce barriers to pet ownership and keep pets and families together. The coalition invites additional stakeholders across housing, policy and pet care to participate as priorities are further defined.

"With our partners, we are forming the Pets and Families Coalition to coordinate and scale-up our efforts to remove barriers to pet ownership, and that starts with making sure pets have homes to go to," said Pete Scott, President & CEO of APPA and HABRI Board Member. "Our goal is to leverage the strengths of our combined organizations and have others join us to work together to increase pet-inclusive housing across the country."

"We are incredibly proud to be a founding member of the Pets & Families Housing Coalition, helping to lead real solutions that support sustainable pet ownership," said Sammi-Jo Nevin, Chief Legal Officer of Independence Pet Holdings, who introduced the coalition at the Spring Policy Forum. "At IPH, our mission is to care for pets and empower pet parents, and that means addressing the real-world challenges that can separate families from their pets. Housing remains one of the leading reasons pets are surrendered, and this coalition is about keeping pets where they belong: in loving homes. This is an opportunity to move from awareness to action, working together to fund, pilot and scale solutions that expand access to pet-inclusive housing and drive meaningful, lasting change for pets and the people who love them."

The HABRI Spring Policy Forum is made possible by Presenting Sponsors APPA and the World Pet Association (WPA), and Featured Sponsors: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Mars, Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP), PetSmart Charities and Zoetis.

HABRI will be producing a white paper summarizing the learnings from the event in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit www.habri.org/policy-forum.

About HABRI
HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that funds innovative scientific research to document the health benefits of companion animals; educates the public about human-animal bond research; and advocates for the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit http://www.habri.org.

CONTACT: Becca Thomas
614-633-5158
[email protected]

SOURCE Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)