Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Pet Policy

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

Joani asked, Rumor has it that pet policy is the single
most  contentious issue in cohousing communities. Is that true today?

I would refine that statement by saying dogs and cats are one of several 
potentially contentious issues in any intentional community. I have yet to see 
much concern in communities about goldfish, hamsters, or small cage birds. The 
issue is usually around free roaming pets, usually of the predatory sort, 
although one group I heard about had a problem with a donkey.

In some groups it is not a problem at all, in others its huge. I would say it 
is one of the most commonly avoided conflicts in cohousing. Even groups that 
have pet policies, transgressions are often "not noticed". 

Rob Sandelin
One of the pet police at Sharingwood