PAWS Atlanta, Georgia’s oldest no-kill animal shelter, is partnering with, Barkably, a Proptech startup in the multi-family industry, to help address the problem of animal abandonment. In 2022 alone, there were 166 animals left behind at PAWS Atlanta’s gate. This number doesn’t include the animals who were surrendered through the re -homing process that PAWS Atlanta offers. While there are many reasons that individuals and families leave their pets behind, one of the primary reasons is lack of suitable housing. According to the 24PetWatch Owner Surrender and Acquisition Source Analysis from Best Friends Animal Society, 13.7% of animals who were surrendered between 2018-2020 were surrendered due to reasons related to housing. It is the top reason for dog surrenders and the second most-common reason for cat surrenders.

As the recent economic climate worsened and protections like the rent moratoriums that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, more people were forced to consider other housing options. Most apartments and houses for rent have restrictions around the number and types of pets that a tenant can own. Therefore, those who have multiple pets or larger breeds of dogs are often forced to make difficult decisions about caring for their animals. Thankfully, Barkably, an online apartment search tool for dog owner renters, provides a solution. Barkably is a free service that helps renters and their pets find the perfect apartment. Their website allows dog owners to search by breed, price range, number of pets, location, and more.

There are a handful of other businesses and organizations addressing this problem as well, including Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative from Michelson Found Animals. Earlier this month, June 7-9, 2023, Barkably was present at the National Apartment Association’s annual Apartmentalize Conference in Atlanta, educating more apartment owners and management companies about their service. PAWS Atlanta Executive Director, Joe Labriola, states, “PAWS Atlanta has always been focused on keeping pets and owners together and we are so pleased to be working with the team from Barkably to continue to do just that. Their creative ap proach that helps match pet owners with available rental properties allows them to find a perfect, new home for their pets.”PAWS Atlanta is grateful for this new partnership and is excited to expand the ways they advocate for pets and their owners.