#18771

I thoroughly endorse Richard Holloway’s comments about pets in strata. We are fortunate to live in a two unit strata scheme where pets are allowed with the OC’s permission. We have a Bichon Frise dog who has a wool coat and does not smell and is under 10kgs. He is the quintessential “lap dog”. He is not a yappy dog and only barks when someone comes to the door. He loves my husband’s mobility scooter and goes shopping with him harnessed to the running board under my husband’s feet. Our dog is very appealing and my husband has lost count of the number of times elderly people, particularly women who have lost their partners come up to him and pet our dog telling my husband that they cannot have a pet in their unit. Many of them have tears in their eyes as they say this. My husband is 85 and says that when I am away our dog is a great comfort to him. I myself feel a level of calm come over me when our dog gets on my lap, lays on his back,looks at me with his panda eyes and wants to be petted,then goes to sleep snoring!