Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Could I ask about dogs in your community?

[Kay Argyle (argyle]

> Has anyone started a community without a pet policy in
> place and later discovered that they needed one because the new
neighbor's
> pit bull was chewing on their kids?  If so, I'd like to hear about
specific
> problems, and their resolution.
> 
> Jeff Buscher

We have discussed pet policy several times, but never managed to agree on
anything, so by default the status quo continues -- people who want animals
controlled control their own, and the others run loose.

Most of the outdoor cats wear collars and bells.  They catch birds anyway. 
One cat got run over.  (Rest in peace, Charise.)

The majority of dog owners keep their dogs on leashes and clean up after
them.  A couple of dog owners don't believe in leashes or pooper scoopers. 
(I got fed up and started leaving notes on the white board in the mail room
pointing out the piles).  The common house and central path lawns have rank
green patches and dead spots.  There has been at least one incident of
badly crushed plants in someone's yard, but no way of proving that it was
due to the neighbor's lab rolling in them, no way of ensuring it wouldn't
happen again, and so no way of defusing the anger and grief she felt over
the plants she had cared for and loved being destroyed.

We have a resident who has pushed repeatedly for pet policy, so I'm sure
it'll be up for discussion again, especially since the Management Committee
recently got a proposal passed which sets up a framework for submitting
house rules for consensus (long overdue in my opinion, but like elsewhere
we have those who are opposed in principle to having rules).  Whether
anything passes, we'll see.  Personally I can't see that there is a
compromise available. (Either animals are loose or they aren't.  If someone
knows of a third possibility, please tell me.)

Kay
Wasatch Commons