Housing Societies Turn Battleground For Pet Owners

 

Pet owners in Pune are increasingly infuriated as housing societies in the city are putting more stumbling blocks in their effort to live comfortably. 

These societies have become regular battlegrounds for pet owners who are fighting against what they call unreasonable rules, laid down by their societies and neighbours. Most of these rules are both unacceptable and ludicrous and affect both the owner and their pet.

Elevators, parks and gardens are off-limits for pets. Dogs even with leash training are not allowed to walk in the compound, and barking is just not tolerated.

Meet Zoe, a Labrador living in a society apartment. He has a tough daily schedule. While dogs love morning and evening walks, Zoe is forced to have a sedentary lifestyle.

The 11-month-old retriever can’t step out of his two-bedroom flat because the neighbours object to him walking around the compound despite being leash trained.

They even objected to his occasional barking and running inside the apartment.

“I got Zoe three months after renting this apartment. After a couple of months, the apartment owners’ association sent a notice which said members or tenants are not allowed to keep pets,” says Zoe’s owner Rohit.

“According to the society bylaw, I was told that I should make some other arrangement for Zoe or vacate the apartment,” Rohit said.

Initially he ignored the notice but he soon got a second one.

”I had people walking up to my door at odd hours and complaining about trivial issues regarding Zoe. “This happened after I had stopped taking Zoe for a walk and scolded him for barking,”’ he added.

Soon, the apartment owner asked Rohit to vacate the place. He was forced to leave the society.

Another dog owner, Akshay Patne, who stays in an apartment with his Cocker Spaniel, is so fed up that he wants to move out.

“As my pet is too young to be taken out on the road, I take her to the terrace for daily walks. I either clean the place myself or get it done by the housekeeping staff. But that’s not enough for others in the apartment,” he said.

However, there are fortunately a handful of societies in Pune that are extremely pet-friendly, even for strays. Content writer Chinmayee Surve says that her society is extremely accommodating towards pets.

“My society is extremely pet-friendly. Moving with pets can be a difficult procedure but here in Shubhkalyan Society, it was quiet easy. They just asked me for some documents which were a must as pets are the owners’ responsibility at all times.

“We also have a pet-friendly group whose members feed and treat stray dogs around our society,” she adds.

“My pet Jolly and I stay at Nanded City on Sinhgad Road and it is like heaven for any dog, be it a pet or stray,” Chinmay Bidkar, a journalist.

“People are very caring and love animals and know each other’s pets as well. We, as owners of pets, maintain hygiene so nobody points a finger at us.” he adds.

“A year back I adopted a dog Eva, and since then she is the apple of the eye of every member in the society. People in the society know me because of her and I am often addressed as Eva’s didi,” Shraddha Dhopatkar, a psychologist.

“It gives me immense happiness and bliss to stay in a society where there are people who treat every living creature with compassion,” she adds.