My landlord tried to evict me over a pet goldfish named Bubbles

I called the Edmonton Community Legal Centre for a free consult instead of just arguing with him. They pointed me to the specific bylaw about 'common household pets' and I showed him the printout. Has anyone else had a landlord freak out over something this small?

3 comments

3 Comments

rodriguez.jordan1mo ago

Okay but a goldfish? Come on, that's barely even a pet. It's a decoration that eats. Landlords have real problems to deal with, like people who don't pay rent or trash the place. Getting a lawyer involved over Bubbles feels like a huge overreaction to me.

pat_park1mo ago

Rodriguez.jordan, it's not about the type of pet, it's about the lease. If the rule says no pets and someone breaks it, where do you draw the line? Letting a goldfish slide means the next tenant argues their cat should be fine too. It sets a bad example that can cause bigger problems later.

tyler1763d ago

You're not wrong that there's worse problems out there, but this is a lease violation pure and simple. If the rule says no pets and someone brings in a goldfish, what stops the next person from bringing a hamster, then a bird, then a cat because "it's just a small cat"? The whole thing about having rules is that you enforce them all the same, not pick and choose based on how cute the animal is. A landlord's real job is managing the property and the lease terms, and letting one person slide opens up a mess of arguments and complaints from other tenants who actually follow the rules. Sure, nobody's calling the cops over a goldfish, but ignoring it sets a tone that the rules are optional if you push hard enough. Where does that really lead?