Not immediately. On such properties, we also require you to apply to have a pet and receive written approval from your Property Manager. There is also a Request for Authorization form you will need to sign where you will be provided with the pet policy in full.

Pets are hard on the properties. To ensure that the units can be maintained, we will need you to show that you have renter’s insurance, a pet license from the City of Lethbridge, and proof that the pet’s vaccinations and inoculations are up to date. Of course, you also must follow any bylaws related to animals that the City of Lethbridge passes. Once approved, there is a $200.00 non-refundable pet fee to recover the costs of wear and tear from the pet.

Other than keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date being healthier for your pet, this policy also helps prevent the spread of animal-borne diseases through the properties, protecting the health of our staff, other tenants, and whatever beloved pets they have in turn. You have a happier, healthier pet for a long time to come and everyone else is kept safe as well.

Not exactly. We do have reasonable limitations on pets that may be kept on Lethbridge Housing properties. We do this to protect the health and cleanliness of our buildings, the safety of our staff and tenants, and to not create nuisances on our other tenants’ peaceful enjoyment of the properties. These limits include restrictions on the number of pets, the size of pets, what kind of pets we allow, and requirements for maintaining the health and good behaviour of your animal companions.

Most of our pet-friendly units will allow you to have one cat or one dog, subject to size limitations.
• You may have a fish tank sized up to 38 litres (about 10 gallons). Alternatively, an aquarium may contain amphibians or reptiles such as a small frog, turtle, salamander, or lizard. You can have up to two of these if you keep them in an approved aquarium.
• Units may have up to two rodents such as hamsters, chinchillas or gerbils, guinea pigs, or miniature rabbits if you keep them in a cage.
• Small birds are limited to two per household. If you have a large bird, you may keep one. Regardless of size, you must keep your birds from being excessively noisy and in a cage.

In our pet-friendly units, pets measured according to their fully-grown weight and height. A dog may be up to 50 centimetres (about twenty inches) in height or 16 kilograms (about 35 pounds) in weight when fully grown. A frog, turtle, or lizard may be up to six inches at full growth.

Service animals are not considered pets and have several different criteria according to Provincial regulations:

Your service animal must have graduated from a program that is accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI); or complies with the Alberta Service Dogs Act
If you currently reside in a building that is not pet friendly and you require a Service Animal, you will be offered a transfer to the first available unit in pet friendly building.

We try to accommodate pets wherever possible, but some of our buildings have central air intake systems. This means that the air in the building is all recirculated throughout the building and shared by the same units within the buildings. Unfortunately, with this system it is impossible to prevent allergens from your pets from entering your neighbours’ units and causing potentially hazardous health situations. Buildings include Haig Tower, Halmrast Manor, Hardie Manor, and older units at Castle Apartments. We may allow some smaller pets such as caged animals or fish that we do not feel poses any significant health risk at these locations.