A Brighton dog is the cover star of this month’s Big Issue, modelling a tabard for a new campaign to make temporary housing more pet-friendly.
The magazine, which hires homeless people to sell it on the streets, has given its vendors the specially designed tabards for their dogs.
It says making temporary and social accommodation more pet-friendly would bring it in line with recent changes to the private rented sector introduced in the Renters Rights Act.
Lucky Charm, a two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier-Porto mastiff cross belonging to Brighton vendor Andy Sanguy, is the cover star.
Andy said: “She’s my partner in crime. I’d be lost without her.
“Charm’s a dog, but she’s not just a dog to me. She’s my best mate, my emotional support animal, my work colleague.”
Rhianon Steeds, campaigning manager at the Big Issue, said: “Around one in four people experiencing homelessness has a pet, but when someone is offered emergency or temporary accommodation by their local authority, too often they’re told their animal isn’t allowed to come with them.
“We’re calling on the Government to end this impossible situation. They must bring transitional and social housing in line with the private rented sector and make it pet-friendly by default.”
Speaking to this week’s Big Issue, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the magazine’s role in campaigning for the Renters Rights Act, saying: “It’s a tribute to you, Big Issue, for what you’ve done to make this happen.
“None of this is without a fight. It’s a fight with lots of people saying that won’t work, saying this’ll cause the following problems, and you have to push through that, and so I’m really pleased that we’ve done it.”
Andy and Charm are great! Amazing to see them make it up to London to speak.