As the White House celebrates the arrival of The Bidens’ German Shepherds – Champ and Major, the UK Government is also welcoming new moves to protect pet owners’ rights. The second reading of the Dogs and Domestic Animals (Accommodation and Protection) bill, scheduled for 26 February 2021, would allow tenants to live with a pet without their landlord’s approval. For Quintain Living – who run the UK’s largest Build to Rent campus with 2,416 apartments in Wembley Park – the Bill is affirmation that its pioneering pet-friendly approach is a blueprint to what other landlords should be doing.
“Pets are part of our family so we’re shaking up ideas of what a landlord should be. We’re not just pet-friendly, we’re pet-progressive, with insightful options that lead the way like our dog runs, doggy day care and Launder-O-Mutt grooming facilities coming soon.”
Sarah Tinsley, Marketing Director, Quintain Living
A 2020 study by Channel 5 confirmed how deep the UK’s love for animals extends. It found that 73% of Brits consider themselves to be pet lovers, with dogs topping the table as the nation’s most popular animal. 51% of respondents listed dogs as one of their favourite animals, followed by cats in second place with 38%.
It’s this deep-rooted affection for animals that led to Quintain Living being a leader in pet-friendly homes when it launched its first pet-friendly building,Landsby, back in 2018. With a neighbourhood vibe and expansive gardens, the one- and two-bedroom apartments feature a warm Nordic design, perfect for owners and pets seeking a calming home environment.
Co-designed with John Lewis & Partners and Samsung, and featuring free superfast WiFi, Landsby provides the ideal work from home location, perfect for owners and their canine co-workers alike. Residents have access to two roof terraces with built-in speakers and BBQs, along with two podium gardens – one of which includes a children’s play area.
Indoors, there’s a stylish residents’ lounge, a residents’ kitchen with private dining room. Outside, Boxpark, independent shops, bars, restaurants, the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London Designer Outlet and Wembley Park tube station are all within minutes’ walk.
Quintain Living’s other homes also offer a range of features designed to deliver the ‘ulti-mutt’ living experience for their four-legged residents. Ferrum has a spacious dog run in the gardens and a Launder-O-Mutt grooming space is due soon for mucky pup wash downs. Canada Gardens provides a dedicated pet park. Doggy day care and walking services, will also be available soon to residents in all of Quintain Living’s buildings.
“We believe that being pet-friendly is more than merely allowing residents to keep pets. It’s about welcoming pets as part of our community and creating facilities that enhance the living experience for everyone, on two legs and four!”
Sarah Tinsley, Marketing Director, Quintain Living
Pet ownership has soared during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdowns. Research by Ipsos MORI found that almost half of all current pet owners in Britain got at least one new pet during lockdown. 10% of households that do not have pets reported their intention to get one in the following six months.
It’s well established that pet owners tend to be healthier and more physically active than non-pet owners and pets can often help people recover better from major health events, especially if they live alone.
“Pets can have an amazing impact on our lives. The positive health benefits of owning a pet include lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and even improving survival rates after a heart attack. For children, growing up with a dog reduces the risks of both asthma and allergies. Other studies have shown that owning a pet improves mood, decreases cortisol (a stress hormone) and improves levels of stress and anxiety.”
Dr Julie Ashton, Vet & Animal Behaviourist, Life on Four Legs
Currently, pets live alongside their owners in 15% of leased Quintain Living homes and with its commitment to curating communities that foster better wellbeing for mind, body and world, the Quintain Living team look forward to welcoming even more cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters and even snakes in 2021 and beyond.
