Don't ban pets; urge people to be considerate of others
Loretta Hedberg writes in about Joe Kollin's article on pet policies
Letter to the editor of "Condo News"
by David Shapiro, VP of Citizens for Pets in Condos
Too many condominiums discriminate based on pets
(response to a letter to the editor of the Palm
Beach Post by
Don't
ban pets
Stephanie Turner
Lauderdale Lakes
Posted May 17 2006, Sun-Sentinel
I just moved into a condo development that does not allow pets.
They passed their pet ban about five years ago and a few people were
"grandfathered in."
I recently received a letter on my door that stated for those
who have pets, once your pet dies, you are not allowed to replace it, period.
How heartless can these condo commandos be?
For some elderly, their pet is all they have. As long as the pet owner is
responsible, there should be no problem. Even if you lived in a building where
every resident but you despised pets, they should not say that you cannot have
a pet in your home.
If you feel the same way, please visit http:// www.petsincondos.org.
Lose-lose
situation for people, pets
Tamarac
Posted
Re the March 26 story, "Condo owners plead for help,"
by Elizabeth Baier: Thank you for the article on the condo town hall meeting
held in North Miami Beach on March 25.
While Ms. Baier covered the main issues (regulation and term limits for association
board members, and slow responses from the Department of Business and
Professional Regulation's Division of Land Sales), there were other important
issues that were not mentioned.
One area where reviews of rules are needed is the prevalent no-pet rules. An
extensive body of research exists to support that animal companions help
seniors (and others) with anxiety, depression, stress and high blood pressure.
It is such a natural human need to have pets that many people do have, but
hide, animals. They live in fear that their association board will find out and
force them to get rid of their beloved pets.
With advances in medical technology and with people retiring earlier and living
longer, more seniors are able to responsibly care for pets. And help is
available to people who are not able to take care of their animals. The other
side of the equation is that for as many people who cannot have the pets they
want, a corresponding number of animals are needlessly euthanized. The
situation in
South Palm Beach
Posted
I was at the meeting described by reporter
Elizabeth Baier in Sunday's edition. Given the ever-increasing numbers of
people living in condominiums, there can be no doubt that reform of rules and
regulations that govern them must be made a priority item.
As originally conceived, condominium living seemed to be an ideal lifestyle.
Regrettably, it has, over the years, evolved into a form of tyranny that pits
owners against condo boards, often over the most petty of issues.
It is at this point that lawyers enter the fray, resulting in great angst and
obscenely inflated costs to all concerned as the battle rages on. The so-called
"pet issue" is one that most often creates such heated conflict. It
is extraordinary to me that in these times, where discriminatory practices of
any type are frowned upon and, in fact, legally prohibited, condo boards can
prevent unit owners from keeping a domestic pet in their unit. This is but one
aspect of condominium living that needs to be examined as a part of a major
overhaul of condo regulations. Failure to do so is to perpetuate a type of
fascistic tyranny that runs contrary to the democratic ideals on which our
country is based.
MORE PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING NEEDED
Letter to the Editor,
Donna S. Joffey
BOCA RATON
Posted
Why are more and
more condominiums, townhouses, housing communities, etc., being built in
Pets give unconditional love and have been proven to lower blood pressure and
stress levels in people.
I received my own pet dog from someone who had to give him up because he moved
to a condo that doesn't allow pets.
As more and more developments are being built, more people, especially the
elderly, are forced to give up their beloved pets in order to move to, for
example, assisted living communities when they can no longer live on their own.
How would you like to give up your pet that has been part of your family and
that you've had for many years?
Unfortunately, most of these pets end up in animal shelters, where only a small
number are fortunate enough to be adopted. The remainder of these loving dogs
and cats are "euthanized," which translates to humanely killed.
The words humanely and killed do not belong together. There is no way to
humanely kill a healthy, beautiful and loving dog or cat that could have had
many more happy years of life. These animals deserve to live. They should not
be killed just because more housing is being built every day where these
animals are not allowed. Just look at the numerous housing ads that state,
"no pets allowed." Don't these developers care about this growing
issue?
I know that the Tri-County Humane Society in