Bid to save poodles from the doghouse in Canberra

Article: Canberra Times – Bid to save poodles from the doghouse
15th December 2008

This article talks about the struggle an elderly couple is facing in order to keep their three poodles in an inner-city apartment building in Canberra as the complex’s owners’ corporation is taking them to court this week.

As usual on the topic of living/renting with pets, there has been some heated comments on the article but let’s move past these and get to the facts.

Despite what some people may think about having pets in apartments in Australia, one commenter Marg (an owner at the apartments) nailed it when she talked about the importance of building a community and the often vicious viewpoints of the minority which threatened to create tension and ill will in complex. The worst part about this whole thing is there is not a major incident which started it, no lists of complaints from owners or neighbours. Just the complex owner’s corporation fear about what ‘might’ happen should the dogs be allowed to stay.

The facts about this case

Is there a ‘No Pets’ policy for the apartments? No, an application process exists. Therefore, it is at the Executive committee’s discretion to allow the pets.

Is there a flood of complaints from neighbours, owners? Doesn’t appear so, or at least in wasn’t reported in the article and Marg, one of the owners mentioned that none of the owners have been consulted about this.

Is there overwhelming evidence that the owners are wonderful responsible tenants and have taken every possible step to ensure their pets do not impact others? Yes! The dogs are not a noise nuisance, are toilet trained (artificial turf on the balcony), are walked regularly and a local RSPCA officer even confirmed that the pets environment was great and that the animals were well cared for!

Therefore, I cannot see what the problem is! What issues is this actually causing, apart from “future potential issues” in the minds of the Executive committee?

As we all know, Europe and the US seem to more than cope with pets regularly living in apartments so perhaps in Australia, the problem lies not with the pets themselves, but with owners who are not willing to consider the viability of a more pet friendly living environment in Australia.

It’s time we moved past the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) regarding living with pets and let’s start focussing on the benefits and how to solve any real issues that do exist.