Dog owner having to move into my apartment

Given the time that you have, the simplest answer may be to have the dog registered as an “assistance” animal for your son.  Now, when I say “simplest” I have no idea how difficult that might be but if you can achieve it, the Owners Corp can’t refuse your dog.

Have a look here – and then take it up with your local council.

By the way, saying “it’s my own property” is not going to get you the approval and support you might need.  When we choose to live in strata we give up some of our individual rights as home owners so as to enjoy the collective benefits.  If you don’t like the by-laws, you get involved and persuade other owners to change them.

@apartment_living said:

Thanks very much for the suggestion. Do we need to go to those lengths, or can I apply on reasonable grounds, with a doctor’s letter?  

When you say “go to those lengths …” it make me wonder whether this is as big a deal as you say. It also makes me wonder if you should be moving into an apartment at all – certainly one in this specific block.

If you just turn up with just a doctor’s note, you will be opening yourself up for a long an bitter dispute with your neighbours (which you will probably lose). The fact that this could be avoided with a little effort on your part seems not to concern you.

How about just trying to do the right thing?  See my previous comment about “after all it’s my property”.

As I said, I’m not sure how easy or difficult this is, and it may vary from council to council.

But if you go in with an attitude of wanting to abide by the rules while doing the best for your family, you will get a more sympathetic response from your future neighbours.

Starting from the point of view of “I don’t like your by-laws, I’ll do as I want” will make you an enemy of your neighbours before you’ve even set foot in the door – and probably won’t get you the result you desire.

Google the phrase “assistance dog NSW” and that will open up a whole world of possibilities for you.

Sorry – this is getting silly. The by-law says you can’t keep an animal. You apply the ordinary meaning of the word.

If you have an animal residing at the property, either temporarily or permanently, you are breaching the by-law. 

Jimmy has given the solution, you can waste a lot of time and effort splitting hairs, and putting the other owners offside. Or you can take the route suggested by Jimmy which, if the situation is as you say, is likely to be successful.

@apartment_living said:

So the neighbours were breaching the by-law by allowing their friends to bring their dogs over? 

Yes. But, as we never tire of saying, there are no StrataKops to come and impound the dog and arrest the residents.

However, if this was a common and/or regular occurance, the committee or strata manager could issue Notices to Comply followed by fines.