Life in Strata – Is my pet allowed?

by Kristi Kinast – LOC Strata/Property Group

There can be plenty of opinions both for and against pets in strata. Kristi Kinast from LOC Strata Management has seen her fair share of pet enquiries over the years and shares some helpful information for both pet-loving owners and Strata Committees alike.

So are pets allowed – or not?

The short answer is, it depends. Around seven years ago the blanket ‘no pets’ rule was challenged in the strata world and subsequently any by-law flatly prohibiting pets has been deemed unenforceable.

There can be reasonable grounds on which an application for a pet can be declined such as allergies of residents or transportation of the pet across areas of common property (eg: is the pet too large to carry?). It’s acceptable for conditions to be given to an owner such as maintaining the pet’s cleanliness and health, or ensuring the peaceful enjoyment of all residents (no endless barking!). “If a reasonable condition is broken though, the Committee is then entitled to vote towards removing the pet,” says Kristi.

“The best situation I’ve seen is where we work with the Committee to develop a simple application for owners,” says Kristi. “This results in an equitable, honest and informed process for all.”

For all owners, it’s important to remember that a strata scheme is a community of people that need to be considerate of one another. Honest and organised communication with the Committee makes for harmonious communities, which is the best outcome for all.

To chat Strata with Kristi or learn more about LOC Strata Management, email us at kristi@locsm.com.au.