Three Dog Limit (clean, barking, breeds, problems)
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Such a disappointment. We've looked for a couple of months and finally found a house to buy that meets most of our requirements. Nice house, 5 fenced acres, large shop... Negotiation wasn't too bad. Seller drives a hard bargain but he was pleasant and professional to deal with.
But, the HOA rules arrive and there is a three dog limit. We called the association president and were told that any request for an exemption to the three dog limit has always been turned down. So, we cancelled the purchase and we are back out looking again for a place to buy.
Here's the thing though. The association rules originally said dogs and domestic livestock were allowed. Later, there was a board meeting and it was voted to amend the rules to allow 3 dogs and 5 head of domestic livestock.
The only reason I can think of that an association would go in several years later and limit the number of dogs is if they had a great deal of trouble with a resident over their uncontrolled or noisy dogs.
This is precisely why responsible dog people jump all over people who are selfish and inconsiderate about how they maintain their dogs. It is becasue at any moment, if a dog person annoys sufficient neighbors and generates enough complaints, an HOA, or a city, or just about any authority agency can change the rules and limit the number of dogs allowed. Or ban specific breeds, or decide to no longer allow dogs in the parks.
That doesn't happen if all the dog owners keep their dogs confined and off of other people's property, don't allow their dog to bark excessively and make an effort to prevent dog bites. Dog barking and feces left in public are the worst complaints but there are other things that can bring the authorities into play.
Well and fine if they go after the trouble maker, but they don't. They just place blanket bans on everybody.
It's too bad the association wouldn't compromise and grant you a limited exemption, allowing you to bring in all four of your current dogs with the understanding that when one of them dies it will not be replaced and from that point forward the three-dog rule would apply.
But I couldn't agree with you more when it comes to the way fallout from irresponsible pet ownership affects us all, even those of us whose animals never cause a problem for anyone. I wish there was a real solution to this problem!
This may be a blessing in disguise! We have a saying in my group: friends don't let friends buy homes with an HOA.
While the idea of an HOA is good, they can easily go bad when frustrated control freaks take over, and it happens more than you may think.
But the OP's point is that the problem is broader than just HOAs. Municipal governments can and do pass onerous laws that greatly restrict pet ownership (or even ban certain breeds completely) when the citizenry gets aggravated enough by the problems caused by irresponsible pet owners. And not many people live in areas that are rural enough to insure such laws will not be passed in their areas. (Any place where you can buy a house that's sitting on a mere 5 acres is NOT rural!)
True! But there are still places where people mind their own business, even if the local government is passing unenforceable laws. It's all about not angering your neighbors if you don't live far enough out to have some distance between them and you.
For example, I'm a ham (amateur radio operator). I have a right to put a big antenna on my roof, but instead I run stealth -- no visible antennas. I'm not in anyone's face with my hobby. If I had several dogs over the "limit," I'd make sure they didn't disturb anyone and keep my property very clean. I'd also find a creative way to license them with different addresses.
True! But there are still places where people mind their own business, even if the local government is passing unenforceable laws.
But the laws ARE enforceable, even if your immediate neighbors aren't personally bothered by your animals. All it takes is one person who knows where you live to report you. And when it comes to breed ban laws, the onus is generally on the dog owner to prove his/her pooch is NOT one of the banned breeds (which can be a real issue if the dog in question is a mutt or has no registration papers.) That's the problem.
This may be a blessing in disguise! We have a saying in my group: friends don't let friends buy homes with an HOA.
While the idea of an HOA is good, they can easily go bad when frustrated control freaks take over, and it happens more than you may think.
Look for a place where there aren't so many busy-bodies who care about the number of animals you have.
Those rules are exactly why I love my HOA. If an exception is made for one, others will want the same. I dont want to live next to anyone with more than 2 dogs.
I don't see the point of a HOA when there's actual acreage involved rather than quarter acre lots. If you're spaced out from your neighbors, you don't need a bunch of rules - everyone leaves each other alone.
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