Quest to secure a pet-friendly home for Poppy

I live in Kingston, Tasmania, with my partner Daniel and our dog Popcorn – Poppy for short. Poppy is a Border Collie, weighs around 15kg and is about one-and-a-half years old. We got her as a puppy.

She's a very active dog; her parents were farm dogs. We live close to the beach and take her on long walks and runs which help get all that energy out!

Early last year, Daniel and I decided to move in together, and we thought it was the perfect time to get a puppy as well. We had everything planned out: we would get a Border Collie and name her Poppy, and we even had a plan for puppy classes. The only challenge was finding a pet-friendly rental home.

We began applying for house inspections that allowed pets even before getting Poppy, but there weren’t many options.  After a few inspections, we found the perfect house in Blackmans Bay with a beautiful backyard. The listing stated, “Pets considered” and during the inspection, we asked the agent about the process of getting approval for a dog. The agent assured us that the landlord was nice and wouldn’t mind having a dog. We explained that we were planning to get a Border Collie puppy, and she said it shouldn’t be an issue.

Feeling hopeful, we applied for the house and were accepted. We gave notice at our previous homes and set a move-in date. However, the landlord asked for more information about the dog and ultimately approved our rent but without the dog. What?! The advertisement had said "pets considered" and we applied with a pet.

My partner and I were devastated. We had to choose between moving into the amazing house or getting our puppy, Poppy. We decided to choose Poppy, and the search for a house started again. We attended more inspections, but again the options were limited. During one inspection, I spoke with the real estate agent about the difficulties of finding a pet-friendly rental. She was really kind and understood our situation. We applied for a few houses but had no luck.

So, I called the agent and asked if she could help us find options that would allow our puppy. She kindly showed us a house that wasn’t advertised yet and arranged a private inspection with the landlord. That’s how we found our current home — a beautiful house with a huge backyard for Poppy. Without the agent's help, we definitely wouldn’t have found a place for Poppy.

Choosing Poppy over the first house was a difficult decision, especially with the current challenges in the rental market. But once we saw Poppy, she became a part of our family, and we couldn’t leave a family member behind. We spoke to a few friends and tried to create plans B, C and D in case the rental situation didn’t work out as planned. But everything worked out, and we are happy after all.

I couldn’t imagine my life now without Poppy. She means the world to us. Since we moved in together and got Poppy, I feel like my family is complete. As a Brazilian living here without family or support, Daniel and Poppy are my world.