If you’re a pet-owner looking for an apartment, you know it’s not as easy it sounds. Even though the right kind of space for your doggo is your last concern, you look for ‘pet-friendly’ societies because some of them claim to not allow pets, which is illegal.
And more often than not, they have the bold ‘Pets are not allowed’ sign hanging on their notice board.
Pet owners often find themselves in a fix with other residents of the society. Many residents try to use this so-called ‘rule of the society’ to let you know that pets are not entertained in the premises.
A lot of pet-owners are unaware of the laws regarding animals. And in return, end up facing a lot of flak till they actually do some research.
So, the next time the uncle from next door comes complaining about your dog’s barking, here’s what you should know.
First and foremost, no society has the legal right to tell you that you can’t keep a pet in your house/apartment. Even if all the residents of the society vote unanimously against having pets, it can’t have any effect since it’s a violation of the law.
All you need to abide by are the municipal corporation laws and you’re good to go.
Housing societies don’t have the legal right to form laws regarding owning pets. Only the Animal Welfare Board of India is the proper authority to take any legal decisions.
It is a pet-owner’s responsibility to make sure their pet behaves properly. But no one can raise a problem if your dog barks a lot or if you decide to take it out for a walk without a leash.
A lot of society members and even the RWA try fooling pet-owners. They try charging them extra for maintenance for their pets which is also against the law.
There are some societies that also try to hinder you from taking your pet in the elevator. The circular clearly states that no society can ban a pet from using the lift.
Also, some societies try to give you a size-limit on the breed of the dog and the circular clearly states that they cannot do that. Anybody can have a pet of any breed or size and the residents of the society have no say in that.
And as far as taking your pets to the society park is concerned, you and your pupper are absolutely free to use it. A lot of societies try to stop pet-owners from taking their dog to the park but as long as you maintain your pet’s behaviour, it is not a problem.
As a pet-owner, you have a certain civil responsibility that your pet doesn’t create any nuisance but even if at times, it does, there’s no law in the world that can force you to abandon it.
You can read the full circular regarding the laws here.
