Issues and Answers

Citizens for Pets in Condos believes that pet problems are really owner/guardian problems.
A few irresponsible people can ruin it for everyone else. As Brigitte Bardot, former French film star, said,
"Unfortunately it's always the dogs paying the price for their master's ignorance, irresponsibility and bad behavior."
No one wants to deal with animal nuisances.

Dog guardians, please "Sign the Pet Promise!" Show your commitment to providing the best care for your dog
by putting your paw print on the AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise.
Be a responsible guardian to your companion animal(s).

This is what we want. It can happen if people cooperate and responsible animal guardians are recognized.
Sign courtesy of Peachtree Business Products

In order to win the right to be able to keep pet companions, we need to be responsible guardians. The people who want pets need to be scrupulous about cleaning up after their pets and should immediately respond to and repair any situation that could cause bother or annoyance to neighbors.

Time for the repetitive subliminal message from FloridaPets.net:
"Doggie pooper scoopers, use them, always, everywhere you go. Good human."

Organizations like the Woof Patrol work to teach people to clean up after their pets to reduce objections to them. Florida Pet Network has a new twist on dealing with the poop problem: a product called POOP-FREEZE Spray that literally freezes dog poop, practically on contact, turning what can be a smelly and gooey clean up into what they call, "Frost, toss and be on your way." For more info or to order from their pet shoppe, go to: http://www.floridapets.net/shoppepoopfreeze.html. There are always the old reliable pooper scoopers, or plastic bags (put your hand inside the bag and pick up the poop into the other side of the bag, then pull inside-out so you don't have to touch it!), and now even flushable plastic poop bags.

It would be less expensive to create special dog walk areas, complete with plastic bag dispensers and waste receptacles than to hire lawyers to remove people's pets. Dogipot carries products to keep public and private areas free from unsightly, smelly and harmful dog dirt. Contact Susan London Voll, 407-451-0508 at Four Paws Forward, authorized distributor of Dogipot, for more information. Check out local Florida pet cleanup businesses ( like Scoop Da Poo in Palm Beach County) here. Another company, Peachtree Business Products, offers signs and pet waste control products. The makers of pooper scooper have created DoodyCalls, the first full-service pet waste removal franchise. Hiring them might be cheaper than hiring lawyers to remove people with pets!

There are even companies that hire out to clean up where people fail to do so. One example is EntreMANURE K-9 Waste Removal, PO Box 30521, Palm Beach Gardens FL 33420, 561-319-0647. Another Florida-based pet waste removal company is Pet Butler.

Pet droppings are a justifiable arena for governance, but size shouldn't matter, says Debra H. Lewin, author of the Community Associations Institute publication ,"Pet Policies." Her book advises condo boards to use behavior-based rules. HSUS, the Humane Society of the United States, has a similar opinion:

There are companies that make special grass seed that neutralizes pet urine, so the are where dogs are walked can be maintained in pristine condition. See, eg., Perfect Patch grass seed.

Worried about muddy paw prints on shared elements? Try this solution: the PawPlunger (recommended by Dr. Jon at www.petplace.com).

Do pets bear the main responsibility for soiled carpeting in hallways? Not according to this contributor (unit owner in a condo in Boca Raton, FL): "In my building we have interior halls and a lobby w/carpeting vs. exterior entry to each apartment via catwalk and we have a bigger sanitation issue from incontinent elderly people having accidents than anyone’s pets. The carpeting has not been changed in 20 years and is disgusting to say the least."

No one wants to deal with a serious problem where irresponsible PEOPLE do not clean up after their animals. If a problems persists, call in city/county officials to deal with the issue. You are paying taxes for them to enforce health and sanitation laws!

The allergy issue is a spurious argument. If pets are banned because of possible allergies to them, then there should also be bans on cigarettes, perfumes and home deodorizing products. If a building allows scents to travel between units, any of these items could be allergens. Consult an engineer, HVAC specialist or an air filtration expert for assistance determining whether allergens from your animal are infiltrating other units and for possible solutions, if needed.

Outside in the common areas is a different story. Unless people are in close quarters with the "offending" pet, there is no reason for objection. If you have a neighbor who is allergic, you should have the courtesy to not bring your pet right up next to them. Let them use the elevators and wait your turn to bring your pet on the elevator.

All too often seniors have pets that outlive them. They wind up in kill shelters because family, friends and neighbors are unwilling to adopt and care for the once beloved pet. The pets' lives are ended prematurely. If seniors really love their pets then providing for them after death is a HUGE consideration that should be taken seriously while we are still alive. Provisions should be provided for in their wills and financing set aside to accommodate their wishes. See "A way to care for your pet, even after your death."

Contact the Broward County Humane Society, or the national HSUS, for more information on this topic.

Elderly people in senior housing can become unable to properly care for their pets

     While people can become disabled or infirm at any age, some people wrongly think that seniors should not have pets due
       to an increased risk that they will not be able to clean up after their pets or restrain them from jumping on other people, etc.
       Citizens for Pet in Condos takes the position that each person should be allowed to decide FOR THEMSELVES whether
       they are capable of keeping pets. It should not be the decision of the community association.

There are organizations like the Pet Project that help people who become severely disabled or terminally ill take care of their pets.
People with such extreme problems are just the ones who need the calming effect of having an animal companion.

       Recognizing how people are inseparable from their pets, the Meals on Wheels Association of America has started helping out with food for pets as well as their owners.
       Though the priority is providing meals to seniors — four in 10 Meals on Wheels chapters nationwide have waiting lists — the agency says the pet food program improves
     the    quality of life for its clients.    “For most of our clients, their pet is probably the most important thing in their lives. It’s their family and the only friendly face they see,”
     said Enid A. Borden, CEO of Meals On Wheels Association of America. “That’s why this program is so important.”

Dogs make too much noise

Dog guardians should keep windows closed (and use air conditioning) if their dog barks a lot. Dogs should never be tied up outside, even in a home owner association housing complex. Most humane societies consider tying up dogs to be a form of animal cruelty.

Training can help with problem barking. Ask Joy Behar on ABC TV's "The View." She did a segment on getting dog training to minimize her dogs' barking every time someone came to the door.

Why is there so much barking in the very few south Florida "common interest ownership communities" (condos, HOAs, co-ops and trailer parks) that do allow pets? Because most of the people who want pets have moved there. Pet-lovers cannot find any other place to go. (Living without animal companionship is an unbearable option for many people.) So, the few communities that are reasonable about pets have an abnormally high concentration of them.

Here again, if barking remains a problem, remember you already pay your city/county to enforce noise pollution law!

"Under Florida law, a dog's OWNER is strictly liable for any damages cause by the dog. That means that even if the owner was not negligent in any way whatsoever,
he or she has to pay for the damages the dog caused.

... associations would only have liability if they were in some way negligent, such as allowing a dog that was known to be aggressive to remain." --
Marci LaHart, Esq, legal advisor, 561.655.9537, more info

       There is no need to restrict dogs by breed or size to reduce risk of aggression. Each animal needs to individually evaluated, including their disposition, their basic obedience
       training, and the responsibility of the owner/guardian. On their web page, HSBC says "The Humane Society of Broward County firmly believes that every animal deserves a
       good, loving, lifetime home. Animals are not born "bad," but unfortunately they often fall victim to people who train them to be mean, aggressive, or destructive."
       Click here for more good info from HSBC on dog breed fallacies.

Neighbors should not have to worry that your dog will jump up on them, risking a fall or dirt from paws. Dogs should be properly restrained on common walkways and elevators to reduce this fear, either in some sort of carrier or close by with a leash. Also, see the reference above about C.G.C.

Pest control for fleas is not any different than for other kinds of insect pests. Florida condos have regular pest control programs. If an insect treatment bomb needs to be
used, pets should be removed from the premises for the recommended time period and the unit should be aired out before bringing pets back in.

People can't go away anywhere because they need to stay home to take care of their pets (otherwise they will bark, etc.)

There are plenty of resources to properly deal with this issue. Just as one example, Critter Sitters provides in-home pet sitting and exercise services, covering all of south
Florida, from Palm Beach to South Beach. See Walkin’ the dog is big business in Boca Raton.

     This concern IS a true issue, but animal experts can determine optimum number of animals for the space. Many cities and counties have established guidelines and ,by and
      large, they ARE reasonable. There is absolutely no reason for association boards to reinvent these rules. Most experts agree that, in general, it is optimum to have two
      companion animals, to keep each other company when their owner/guardian is not home. On the other hand, animal hoarding is dangerous. "Because animal hoarders often
      appear to lead normal lives, it's important to recognize when a person's fixation has gotten out of control. Read more about a tragic case in Maryland to learn why it's vital that
      people work together to stop animal hoarding." more>>

If a cat tears an outside screen, be responsible and replace it. If this is a continuing problem, consider buying claw coverings that reduce damage from clawing. Make sure you have cat scratching posts with catnip to give your feline more appropriate places to scratch.

One thing that responsible pet guardians do is to train their animals to avoid the kinds of behavior problems
that cause objections.

Getting C.G.C. (Canine Good Citizen) certification from the AKC (American Kennel Club) makes for a better behaved dog and give others fewer reasons to complain.

"People who spend time with dogs every day of their lives know that it's the people and the training we do with our dogs that make the difference." Amy Eskelson

"I own my property and i should have the right to have pets in my home. Peoples children are noiser and cause more damage than my dogs ever have." -- (comment on OUR online petition)

“Most insurance and laws, i.e. nuisance laws, would cover any pet that was a nuisance, so specific pet laws are over-kill and unnecessary.

The issue is not pets, it’s people. We don’t have to like everyone’s choices, but we do need to live next to some people who would make different choices than us.”
--Eedra Zey, Barking Mad

A man wrote a letter to a small hotel in a Midwestern town he planned to visit on his vacation.

He wrote: I would very much like to bring my dog with me. He is well-groomed and very well
behaved. Would you be willing to permit me to keep him in my room with me at night???"

An immediate reply came from the hotel owner, who wrote:

"I've been operating this hotel for many years. In all that time, I've never had a dog steal towels,
bedclothes, silverware or pictures off the walls. I've never had to evict a dog in the middle of the
night for being drunk and disorderly. And I've never had a dog run out on a hotel bill. Yes,
indeed, your dog is welcome at my hotel.

And, if your dog will vouch for you, you're welcome to stay here, too." --source of story and picture unknown