Dog Versus Strata?
Dog versus strata? Dog wins!
A landmark judgement made in NSW delivers a huge win for Angus and all apartment owners with pets!
The Court of Appeal invalidated the apartment building ban on animals and the decision will have wider ramifications for owners corporations and apartment owners.
Bartier Perry partner Sharon Levy explains a unanimous decision from three Court of Appeal judges on The Horizon’s attempt to ban animals from the building was a breach of legislation.
She said: “This decision effectively changes the way owners’ corporations can govern their strata schemes.”
Ms Levy’s firm represented Jo Cooper, the owner of a 13-year-old miniature schnauzer named Angus, the court found that banning animals breaches strata scheme legislation which provides that by-laws can’t be “harsh, unconscionable or oppressive.”
Ms Levy said the decision of Angus’ owner Ms Cooper to fight a lengthy legal battle to keep Angus in her apartment had not only been vindicated but was also set to impact thousands of apartment owners across the State.
“This ruling may have far wider ramifications as to the by-laws owners corporations can impose on apartment owners. Every dog has its day but Angus’ win could mean some significant changes and legal challenges to by-laws for years to come,” said Ms Levy.
Ms Cooper said she was overwhelmed by the court decision after a five year legal battle to keep Angus in her apartment.
“The emotional toll from pursuing this case has been incredibly hard. Yet throughout the last five years I’ve also lost count of the number of pet and apartment owners who have reached out and supported our stance.
Today is a win for Angus but it’s also a decision that will hopefully ensure owners corporations take a more balanced approach to the governing of apartment owners,” said Ms Cooper.
The decision will mean that strata schemes will not be allowed to have a by law to ban animals and while pet-lovers celebrate, others see this a blow to the right of the “collective” to decide on issues like pets living in their strata properties.
Australian Resident Accommodation Managers Association (ARAMA CEO) Trevor Rawnsley commented on the ruling saying: “Sometimes I think that pets have more rights than humans in strata ….. that might make sense when you consider that some pets behave better than some humans!
“Pets, along with Party`s, Parking, Personality Clashes and Passive Smoking are the five P`s in Strata and there is no shortage of argument or legal disputes associated with them. This pet friendly decision really hinged on the “unreasonableness” of the by-laws. It is not new and will unlikely change anything In Queensland anyway for the foreseeable future. If the by-law is unreasonable then it is unenforceable. The courts have ruled this way for some time.
“ARAMA has been advocating for a change in legislation to enable those schemes who do wish to have blanket ban on pets to do so however it will take a change in the law to achieve this.”
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