Pets in units: Owners push for right to live with their furry pals

Armen Makaradi is still pushing to have his 10-year-old toy poodle live with him even though tenancy by-laws changed in August to allow pets in units. Take our poll.

Armen Makaradi wants his dog Teddy to be able to live with him in his unit complex. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

All Armen Makaradi wants is for his best mate Teddy to be able to live with him.

The 41-year-old Willoughby man has been desperate to have his 10-year-old toy poodle live in his apartment ever since tenancy by-laws were changed in August to allow pets, following the landmark victory of singer Jo Cooper, who fought for five years to have her miniature schnauzer live with her in a luxury Sydney apartment block.

“Like most of us in the pet ownership community, I was inspired by Jo Cooper’s five year fight, instigating force that led to legislative change,” said Mr Makaradi, who has owned his unit since 2017, when Teddy had to stay with Mr Makaradi’s family.

“I was looking forward to the date with great anticipation, excitement and I felt a great deal of vindication for her fighting so hard – as pet owners, we need to stand united and ensure the strata buildings are starting the dialogue, doing the right thing and being transparent with residents of these legislative changes.”

While the state government changed the law to say that a by-law cannot prohibit someone keeping a pet unless it unreasonably interferes with another occupant’s use or enjoyment of their property or the common property, stratas have the right to refuse dogs entry if they are deemed to potentially cause disturbance or damage – something Makaradi says wouldn’t happen with Teddy.

The apartment block’s strata is currently reviewing its by-laws – but with conditions including pets must be on a leash, carried or transported in a bag or crate on all common areas – not practical for people like Mr Makaradi, who lives on the fourth floor of the walk-up building.

“We are living in stressful times and dogs have positive effect on mental health,” the variable operations manager said.

“My job is extremely demanding and at times I may come home completely depleted – once I see Teddy’s face and wagging tail, I forget about my stresses and get a burst of energy.

“Dogs in general encourage uniting behaviour – these are things that make us human and should be celebrated and encouraged without severe restrictions.

“I don’t feel anyone has the right to deprive us of our liberties of sensible pet ownership in a Strata building.”

Mr Makaradi is not alone. Tenants’ Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross said calls about pets had recently doubled, with at least one call every day from someone with a pet dispute and the number of people accessing information online also doubling in the last 12 months.

“People are bringing this up with us all the time – it’s really something that a law should change because there’s very little evidence that pets cause any more significant damage than everyday life does.

“It’s not part of a fair and equal society that someone else gets to decide whether you’re responsible enough, whether you’re an adult enough, to take care of an animal.”

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Originally published as Pets in units: Owners push for right to live with their furry pals