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Pet-friendly Communities: The Dos and Don’ts

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Pets are valued members of the family, so it’s no surprise that pet-friendly communities are some of the most sought-after places to live. While there are many benefits to living in a strata community, pet permissions do come with a few guidelines. Like any strata, pet-friendly communities have bylaws, rules, regulations, and restrictions that every homeowner is expected to follow. A community’s pet policy often details the type of pets allowed in the association, rules for pet owners, and steps taken to ensure compliance. While restrictions in each community are different, the following are a few general dos and don’ts for successful ownership in pet-friendly communities.

DO: Review the Governing Documents

Your pet is a big part of your life. That’s why you should make sure to review all paperwork that may detail what your pet can and can’t do in and around its home. Before you sign on the dotted line, study the strata’s Bylaws, Rules, and Restrictions. Familiarize yourself with the bylaws, rules, and regulations for pet owners and determine if you’re able to adhere to them and if they’re compatible with your lifestyle. These documents can be lengthy but be sure to take time to read them carefully.

DON’T: Assume All Pet-Friendly Communities are the Same

As a private entity, each strata can decide if it allows members to own and house pets. Further, they can restrict the types of pets they permit and much more. With efforts to keep harmony within the property, allow certain liberties, and keep the grounds well maintained and presentable, you’ll find that many strata properties have restrictions, such as:

  • Height, weight, and size of the pet
  • Number of pets per household
  • Species of pets allowed
  • Breed of dogs or cats allowed

DO: Be a Good Neighbour

Once you have a proper understanding of your strata’s pet policy, do your best to follow the rules. This will help create a good relationship between you and your neighbours. Talk to your neighbours face-to-face and keep conversations friendly. With excessive barking being one of the top complaints in community living, keeping open lines of communication between you and your neighbours is an easy and quick way to resolve such issues.

DON’T: Ignore the Barking

Dogs don’t bark just to bark. Barking is a form of communication, so it’s crucial to determine what your dog is trying to say. The most common causes of barking include protection and warning, fear, play, attention, loneliness, and separation anxiety. Consider efforts such as exercise, socialization, or training to help your dog work through the issue.

DO: Be Courteous to the Community

If you’re paying monthly dues to help maintain neighbourhood parks, pools, or walking trails, then get out and enjoy them with your pet while helping keep the grounds safe and clean. As a common courtesy, you should always pick up after your pet. Getting out and enjoying the extra things your community offers will likely improve your sense of community and make your experience of living there far more enjoyable.

DON’T: Let Simple Tasks Turn into Big, Stinky Problems

While picking up after your pet may be a habit, remembering to pack waste bags before a walk may not be. Many communities now have pet waste stations complete with waste bags and receptacles. Make it a point to find out if your community has these stations and plan your walks near them.

If your strata allows pets and doesn’t have pet stations in place, it’s something that you can ask your council to explore. With enough interest, you might be able to spearhead that change.

DO: Make Your Assistance Animal a Priority

Assistance animals, like service animals, comfort animals, and emotional support animals, are required to have reasonable accommodations under the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act. Because assistance animals aren’t viewed as pets, community bylaws regarding pets—like size and weight limits—don’t apply.

DON’T: Leave Questions Unanswered

If a homeowner with an assistance animal requests accommodation, councils need to be careful about how they respond. 

Attorneys suggest councils implement a very limited vetting process and consult counsel before questioning owners, denying requests, or even adopting restrictions.

DO: Understand Bylaws and Rule Violations

Your strata corporation will have a set of governing documents, which includes pet-specific bylaws and/or rules and regulations made by the community. When a strata owner breaks one of the rules, then they may receive a violation notice from the council. Typically, a bylaw violation notice from your Strata will include details about the offense, how to correct it, and any other information about potential fees, fines, and a deadline to respond or fix the issue.

DON’T: Worry too Much About Simple Mistakes

Most councils understand that mistakes happen, and violations are often resolved with a friendly verbal or written reminder. If you question the effectiveness of the applicable rule or bylaw, this might be a good time to discuss it with your council in a calm and relaxed manner. Under provision of the SPA (Strata Property Act), a strata corporation can amend its bylaws and rules, and your council has a duty to work with you in explaining the options leading to an appropriate solution.