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[Jimmy-T]

From dubious charges for pet applications to restrictive definitions of “acceptable” pooches, the rules covering pets in strata are a dog’s breakfast.

[See the full post at: Bogus charge exposes pet permission confusion]

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[Quirky]

The NSW model by-law reads:-
5 Keeping of animals

Note. Select option A or B. If no option is selected, option A will apply.

Option A

(1) An owner or occupier of a lot may keep an animal on the lot, if the owner or occupier gives the owners corporation written notice that it is being kept on the lot.

(2) The notice must be given not later than 14 days after the animal commences to be kept on the lot.

(3) If an owner or occupier of a lot keeps an animal on the lot, the owner or occupier must—

(a) keep the animal within the lot, and

(b) supervise the animal when it is on the common property, and

(c) take any action that is necessary to clean all areas of the lot or the common property that are soiled by the animal.

Option B

(1) An owner or occupier of a lot may keep an animal on the lot or the common property with the written approval of the owners corporation.

(2) The owners corporation must not unreasonably withhold its approval of the keeping of an animal on a lot or the common property and must give an owner or occupier written reasons for any refusal to grant approval.

(3) If an owner or occupier of a lot keeps an animal on the lot, the owner or occupier must—

(a) keep the animal within the lot, and

(b) supervise the animal when it is on the common property, and

(c) take any action that is necessary to clean all areas of the lot or the common property that are soiled by the animal.

(4) An owner or occupier of a lot who keeps an assistance animal on the lot must, if required to do so by the owners corporation, provide evidence to the owners corporation demonstrating that the animal is an assistance animal as referred to in section 9 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 of the Commonwealth.

If your building’s pet by-law goes much beyond this wording, then it is very likely to be invalid. If your building has a pet by-law that is more restrictive, then at the next general meeting, ask the secretary of the strata committee to add a motion to amend the pet by-law and to substitute the model by-law wording, and to register that amended set.

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