'Is this normal?': Internet helps distressed doctor with cats find a rental

A post on social media by Priya Goyal-Huthnance, who was unsuccessfully trying to find accommodation in Dubbo, sparked an outpouring of concern from residents, many of whom offered to help.

Two weeks ahead of moving to the area to take up a job as a GP, Mrs Goyal-Huthnance still had not secured a rental home for herself, her nurse husband and their two indoor cats, Paca and Orion.

She said she applied for 12 houses in two weeks, and was rejected from two, and didn't hear back from the rest. So, she took to Facebook.

"Is this normal?" she asked the Facebook page, Dubbo Community Group.

"It's incredibly hard to get a house in Dubbo at the moment," wrote one Facebook user. Another replied, "one thing that maybe effecting (sic) you are your cats".

Mrs Goyal-Huthnance told the Daily Liberal she feared the latter explanation, that landlords were not accepting her application because of her cats, whom she described as her "babies".

"[It has been] quite frustrating to us because we've never had any trouble finding a rental in the past, especially with the fact that we're both healthcare professionals and quite reliable with our payments," Mrs Goyal-Huthnance said.

"I think what people don't realise is hospital provides housing, but I'm not working for the hospital so I don't get those same concessions. I'm a general practitioner and that's very different."

Ms Goyal-Huthnance, who was due to begin work at Dubbo Medical and Allied Health Group, was concerned she wouldn't find a home in time to begin her new job.

She wrote on Facebook she was "getting anxious".

Happily, numerous people reached out with offers for a temporary room at their house, and Ms Goyal-Huthnance and her husband have since found a place to live.

Jennifer McGrath, property manager at Bob Berry Real Estate, said renting with pets could narrow your suitability for some of the properties advertised.

"If you're looking at something in a unit, [landlords] are not going to take a large dog but birds and fish might be okay," Miss McGrath told the Daily Liberal.

"You narrow your search in terms of what is suitable for you and your pet. It can make it difficult if you've got bigger dogs, you'll need a yard, but small pets not so much."

In good news for renters, pets are becoming more commonplace in rentals, and the situation is better than it was 10 years ago.

"With the residential tenancy agreement, pets are becoming more acceptable, as they are companions, especially in recent years," Miss McGrath said.

"But it depends on the suitability. But a lot [of landlords] are happy with accepting pets. We don't have a whole lot of trouble getting them across the line."

Common practice is for the agent to process the applications and these are sent to the landlord to consider.

Miss McGrath recommended prospective renters put their pet on their application.

"Be honest," she said. "We get a lot of people who apply, especially with online applications, and they'll write a brief summary of their pets, and they'll also include photos."