With Australians increasingly more likely to have a pet reside in their household, it’s only natural that one of the most frequent questions in unit or townhouse living is “can I have a pet at this property?”
And the short answer in Queensland is…quite likely, but not always. You will certainly need to seek permission from the body corporate committee and there are some considerations. So let’s take a look at pet ownership in a body corporate environment.
The law
Where once body corporates would flat out ban pets at a property, that’s no longer permitted.
In recent years there have been a series of rulings in favour of pet owners with authorities noting that comprehensive pet bans are unreasonable.
Instead, pet owners need to seek the permission of the body corporate who will implement conditions for the number, size and type of pets allowed, along with requirements for how that pet will be kept and managed.
Size restriction
One of the most likely provisions you’ll see a body corporate implement is a size restriction on any pets at the property. In the majority of cases this is a 10kg limit on fully grown, adult dogs. They may also limit the number of pets any property owner can house and have restrictions on the types of animals permitted.
By-law adherence
Meanwhile there are a host of further conditions and even by-laws that can also apply to accommodating a pet at the property.
These include noise restrictions to ensure there is no nuisance barking, while an animal must also be kept within the boundaries of the owner’s property unless on a lead and accompanied by the owner while entering or exiting the building.
The upshot
Like all areas of residing in a strata-title environment, pet ownership requires consideration and a community-minded approach. That means before you bring a pet into your property you should seek the permission of the body corporate and understand any conditions they place on this arrangement.
It’s important to note that if conditions are not met, a body corporate may revoke its permission and the pet would then have to be removed from the property.