Restrictions on pet ownership in multi-owned properties

Australia is a nation of pet owners with over sixty per cent of households including at least one companion animal (Animal Health Alliance 2013). Yet despite the prevalence of companion animals, they are unevenly located across housing forms with more found in detached privately owned properties than in multi-owned properties. Strata title development have been particularly restrictive to pet-keeping either banning pets outright or requiring that they be approved by the owners committee. Currently, however, the market appears to be in a period of change, with growing numbers of pet-friendly developments, coming on the market. For developers of these new apartments pet-friendly status is often one component of a sales strategy designed to broaden market appeal (see for example, statements by the Executive Director of Vivas Lend Lease discussing the upmarket Sydney harbour side community Jacksons Landing, PIAS 2010: 25). There is also growing legislative support for pet ownership, with a recent strata review in one state, New South Wales, proposing new model by-laws that would make it easier for residents of strata apartments to keep pets (NSW Fair Trading 2013). In this context the chapter examines the place of pets within strata title buildings in Australia.