A recent online petition calling for pets to be allowed in private rental properties in the UK has gained thousands of signatures.

Carried on the Petition Parliament website, the petition has been raised by Hannah Bennett. In it she states the petition's main thrust as: “I’d like the government to prevent discrimination of tenants and potential tenants with pets, including by preventing landlords from including a ‘no pets allowed’ clause in tenancy agreements."

"It is completely unfair that a person and/or family can be refused accommodation based on the fact they have a pet," she continues." Most of the time people only have a small dog or cat, and it can be incredibly difficult to find accommodation as it is let alone with this clause in place.”

The petition arises as Tory MP Andrew Rosindell promotes the Dogs and Domestic Animals Accommodation and Protection Bill in the House of Commons.

This week saw the first reading of the Bill, which asks for reform of rental laws allowing dogs and other animals to be kept in rented accommodation, on the previso that owners can demonstrate the ability to look after them.

Rosindell told the Commons: “What makes somewhere a home is something where special moments are created, living with a family, friends or companions. Moving into a new home is a normal part of life, but what if every time you moved, you faced the threat of being separated from someone you loved. Can a house or a flat ever really be a home if you have been forced to abandon a family member just to be able to move in?”.

He added:“And you will know more than anyone, Mr Speaker (Sir Lindsay Hoyle), as an animal-loving Speaker as you are, that animals are truly members of one’s family. And having owned two Staffordshire Bull terriers myself, Spike and Buster, I also know just how close the bonds can be between a dog and the owner and how devastating it can be when you lose them.”

Andrew Rosindell's measure will now go for a second reading in the Commons in late January, but it  requires government backing for this to happen.

You can find the actual petition here.