The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that service families will no longer need to seek permission to keep a pet at home, as part of reforms under the Defence Housing Strategy, the government stated.
The change was outlined by Defence Minister Luke Pollard in response to a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome on 18 February 2026, which asked what progress had been made on the Pillar 1 recommendations of the Defence Housing Strategy. Pollard said: “We have modernised outdated policies and streamlined processes, giving families greater freedoms to make improvements to their homes.”
He added: “We have streamlined the process for those who wish to run businesses from home and removing the need to seek permission to have a pet at home.”
Pollard also said the MOD had upgraded 1,000 of the worst service family homes ahead of schedule: “We have transformed 1,000 of the worst homes ahead of schedule in time for Christmas, with hundreds more military properties to be upgraded by Spring 2026.”
The minister said additional measures had been delivered, including named housing officers, photographs and floorplans, and a new online repairs service.
“We’ve delivered named housing officers, photos and floorplans and a new online repairs service – promises made to families previously, but only now delivered.” He concluded: “Service Family satisfaction with their Defence Homes is rising and now at the highest level since 2021.”
Get a goldfish and call it Rachel.
or a Sloth and call it “DIP”.
I wonder if they’ll have a list of pets you can’t have. Can you dig a pond for your pet alligator? Can your home business include getting rid of dead bodies using your pet alligator?