Andorra Animal Rescue Pushes for Pet Criteria in Rentals After Pregnant Tenant's Eviction

ARPA, Andorra's animal rescue and protection association, is pressing for objective criteria to evaluate pets in rental properties before evictions, spotlighting the case of a pregnant young tenant removed from her home over her Pomeranian dog.

The tenant, Julieth Moncada, lived alone with her dog Lulú and faced no reported property damage, neighbour disturbances, or coexistence problems, according to details shared with ARPA. A rental contract clause prohibited animals, leading to her eviction. Courts have handled the matter through multiple stages: a first-instance ruling sided with Moncada, citing lack of proven issues; this was reversed on appeal, but Andorra's Constitutional Tribunal annulled that decision and mandated a new, fully justified one.

ARPA president Laura Valero stressed the group cannot side with either party, as it lacks the full judicial file. "We trust justice will resolve what is appropriate in this case," she said. The association has spoken with Moncada but emphasised that any unknown factors must be weighed by the courts.

Valero argued that a no-pets clause should not trigger automatic expulsion without justifying circumstances. "We do not want owning a dog to be an absolute right, but objective criteria," she added. ARPA wants the Animal Protection and Welfare Bill to include standards addressing conflicts between landlords, tenants, and pets—covering coexistence, building suitability, hygiene, verified complaints, and animal welfare—to prevent disputes reaching tribunals.

"If deciding whether a Pomeranian causing no disturbances can live in a flat requires going to the Constitutional Tribunal, perhaps the problem is not the dog," Valero remarked. The group draws on practices from nearby countries, promoting upfront guidelines on responsibilities to avoid litigation.