Limited seniors housing in Squamish is forcing some residents to give up their pets, a local resident says.
Last February, Margaret Godden moved from Brackendale into seniors housing at The Manor. While the downtown location is more convenient to her lifestyle Godden doesn't drive the move has meant she's had to wave goodbye to a good friend.
I got Flossy hoping it would be a lifetime partnership for the both of us, Godden said.
The shy, grey cat is now at the Squamish SPCA. For a while, Godden caught the bus from downtown three times a week to visit her fluffy champion at the animal shelter.
I'd go visit her and it breaks my heart, she said, noting she has since cut down the reunions' frequency because they're too emotionally painful.
Animals are proven to provide physical and mental benefits to seniors, such as lowering blood pressure and relieving anxiety, Godden said. While she said The Manor may have valid reasons for not allowing pets, there are ways to make the rules work for everyone.
The seniors housing complex could require people with pets to get notes from their doctors verifying they are capable of caring for the animals, Godden said.
If you are a responsible pet owner and can prove you are, I don't see why it would be a problem, she said.
The Manor has maintained a no pet policy since 1972, said Laura Modray, Squamish Senior Citizens Home Society administrator. The units are small, the quarters are close and walls thin, she said.
A lot of people aren't able to take care of themselves, let alone a pet, Modray noted.
It's not uncommon for such high-density housing to prohibit pets, she said. Although she's not for or against cats or dogs, the rule is set by the society's board, Modray noted.
There are all sorts of considerations, she added.
Sea to Sky Community Services-operated Riverstones allows pets on the ground floor, the services' executive director Lois Wynne said. Squamish's Eagle Grove units also make way for people's four-legged friends on the ground floor, she noted.
Having done research before opening Riverstones, Wynne said most policies seemed to allow pets on the ground floor. B.C. Housing has a set of guidelines for pets, with the rules for each complex depending on the building.
Shannon Falls Retirement Residence allows those who have pets when they move in to keep them, but those who already live there aren't allowed to obtain them, Godden said.
