Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: dogs in community

[David Bygott (davidbygott]

Our community is also getting to grips with the Dog Issue after 8 years. Our 
current policy has grown out of numerous meetings and a community-wide survey 
of opinions about various options.


Only 8 out of 28 of our households have dogs - several more came with dogs and 
didn't replace them when they died. We have a central lawn and unfenced front 
yards which are mostly managed by the community, private back yards mostly 
fenced, and no dog park within easy walking distance. Originally a community 
dog park was planned, but most of the community's land is fairly inhospitable 
(stony, hot, unshaded and full of cacti) and nothing can match our central lawn 
with shaded sitting areas! Local city laws prohibit dogs off-leash in any 
public area or unfenced private area, but this reality seems not to concern 
some owners.

Currently we require dogs to be on leash in all public areas, except our 
'nature preserve', a large area of natural desert scrub, where they may take 
their chances with the coyotes. An exception we are considering is that during 
specific hours in the afternoon, dogs may play free on the lawn, closely 
supervised by their owners. 

Dogs have never been allowed in our common house, and everyone respects that.

All dog owners are expected and encouraged to pick up poop in public areas and 
most are very conscientious about this, even to the extent of picking up other 
dogs' poop when they find it. Naturally, this is more effective when dogs are 
on leash and owners can see everything their dog does.

As yet our rules have no 'teeth' other than social pressure. Individuals who 
object to unsupervised dogs entering their yards are expected to talk to the 
owners directly, and owners are expected to be considerate to neighbors' 
feelings on this. On each of our main entry gates we have a sign showing a 
picture of a dog on a leash - no words - and most visitors get the idea. 

My take is that involving the whole community in constructive brainstorming to 
reach the present compromise has been a healthy process and has fostered 
tolerance between the dog-owners and the dogless. We too will be interested to 
hear what works in other communities.

David Bygott
Milagro Cohousing

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Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:03:44 -0600
From: Mary McKeever <mckeever7868 [at] gmail.com>

...I'm interested in hearing how different communities deal with dogs in their
communities -what are the policies/agreements regarding dogs and how are
issues addressed and/or 'enforced'.  For example:

   - can dogs be off-leash in any parts of the community and if so, under
   what circumstances
   - can dogs be in the common house and if so, under what circumstances
   - how does the community deal with dog poop in common areas
   - how are issues handled when practices are not adhered to by residents
   and/or visitors....