Quebec’s hectic July 1 Moving Day means mass abandonment for pets

Canada Day is a hectic day in Montreal and elsewhere in Quebec, thanks to an antiquated system that starts and ends leases at the start of July.

But while tens of thousands of residents fight to move their belongings from one home to the next, hundreds of family pets are abandoned, thanks to a policy that states landlords can refuse tenancy to pet owners.

While policies against pet ownership exist elsewhere in Canada, Quebec’s unique habit of having rental agreements conclude at the end of June has caused a massive wave of pet abandonment. The Montreal SPCA says that on an average month, they will receive about 600 stray cats and dogs. In the months around moving day, the number increases to 1,600. And that’s just in Montreal.

"In Quebec there is a trend where every lease starts and ends on July 1 and everyone tends to move at the same time. It is a very, very busy day for everyone in Quebec," Montreal SPCA spokesperson Anita Kapuscinska told Yahoo Canada News.

"It is a happy time for a lot of people, who start a new life in their new apartment, but it is also very difficult for pets and owners... a lot of people have to make the gut-wrenching decision of parting with their animal."

Moving Day is a policy that is unique to Quebec. As the Wall Street Journal noted in a feature last year, it dates back to the mid-18th century and was implemented to ensure tenants weren't "put out on the streets in the middle of Quebec's bitter winters."

While laws now allow for more leeway, most rental agreements still stick to tradition. And that tradition means businesses such as moving companies and pizza delivery restaurants are inundated for a 24-hour period. It also means city streets are clogged by vans and trucks, garbage piles up along sidewalks and hundreds of pets are either abandoned in the street or dropped off at kennels.

Having tens of thousands of tenants moving on the same day can be a chaotic affair. Speed and efficiency is required, and the fight to secure a new home can mean renters either miss the clause that states their new home is pet-free, or are simply forced to make tough choices that leave their animals homeless.

"I can't even imagine going through that, but I've met people coming in with their animals and having a hard time. It's not something they want to be doing," Kapuscinska said.

The SPCA does everything it can to find new homes for those animals, from launching promotional campaigns to waiving or reducing adoption fees, but they're not always successful.

In some provinces such as Ontario, landlords are not allowed to declare a property pet-free. Belgium recently abandoned its no-pet clause after a court found it infringed on the tenant’s right to privacy.

In Quebec, however, property owners have the right to decide whether a pet stays or goes.

The Montreal SPCA says the only way to reduce pet abandonment around this time of year is to remove the no-pet clause in rental agreements.

Kapuscinska says all the protections Quebec landlords need are already in place. They can already file proceedings against a tenant for damaged property, and the Quebec Civil Code already protects neighbours from nuisances such as excessive noise or odors.

With protections already in place, denying tenants the right to have pets is essentially the same as giving landlords a right to tell tenants how to live.

"If this can be removed it would make a big difference for animal welfare in Quebec," she said.

Funny she should mention that, because a recent study found that Quebec is the worst province when it comes to the treatment of pets and animals. According to the Animal Legal Defence Fund, Quebec has the second-worst animal protection laws in Canada, behind only Nunavut.

While the Moving Day mayhem isn't considered as part of the report, it should certainly be considered by the public at large. Only three per cent of rental homes in Quebec legally permit pets, although there are certainly more landlords who allow pets under certain circumstances.

In some cases she's heard of, Kapuscinska says landlords will use the family pet to blackmail tenants into other concessions. If there's an issue with plumbing, for instance, a landlord might tell the tenant to deal with it themselves or else the pet has to go.

As long as Quebec renters are good pet owners, keeping their animals quiet and well-cared for, animal ownership shouldn’t be an issue. Until then the province’s July moving madness with take its toll on pets and owners alike.

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