Whilst it is a very sensitive subject, it should still be one that needs to get more attention indeed. On the one side, laws on animal care and ownership should become stricter, and on the other side, laws on pet ownership should be of such a nature that each case has its own merit.
Understandably there are many pet owners who have this attitude that "dogs bark, so stop moaning!" - they end up being the ones that mess it up for the rest of us. Just that one person with that careless attitude can bring an entire community in a closed complex to their knees in begging for their beloved pets to not be refused access. Cats are a little more trickier, but if owners take on more responsibility for their pets, the world could be a much happier place for many.
Governments are encouraging more high density living, but this does not stop people from wanting to love and care for a pet of their own. Team AA Re/Max have taken to the media to try and make it known how difficult pet ownership is becoming, and making it knowns that the current state of affairs has become even more challenging for animal welfare in South Africa.
On Wednesday 17 May 2017, they posted their concern and this what they have to say on this matter:
PLEASE MAKE THIS A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN!
As Realtors we sell properties to FAMILIES.
A family is made up of humans as well as pets.
Many sectional title complexes and freehold security estates in our country are beginning to pass rules that NO PETS are permitted in new ownership/tenancies.
This is cruelty in its highest degree. Many pets spend a half a lifetime in an existing home and when its owners need to relocate, these loving family members are not permitted nor welcome in the new home this family moves to. Dogs and Cats do not ask to become part of a family. At a very young age they are REMOVED from their natural parents and their new home becomes that of the adoptive humans. They share in every event, every day and every moment, only to be turned away by a cruel Home Owners Committee/Body Corporate who values their own needs over that of every created creature who have become LOVED MEMBERS of a household - yet many of these complexes allow short term rentals, where any hooligan can enjoy a short term stay and party up a storm at the end of it, disrupting every home owner in that establishment, and trashing the property.
This new ruling becomes even MORE CRUEL when an aged person, who's partner has passed, or the couple is forced to downgrade because of financial reasons, and they are refused entry of their dearly beloved pet because of a bunch of cruel people denying pets access to their down graded homes.
Many of these animals face INSTANT EUTHANASIA, while others have to be adopted/relocated to families they never knew. Their lives are either ABRUPTLY ENDED or DESTROYED, never to be the same again!
WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN?
Our PETS ARE OUR CHILDREN!
Stand up against cruel and inhumane BODY CORPORATES & HOME OWNERS who DO NOT ALLOW PETS!
STOP THIS CRUELTY, PLEASE! Our fury children ARE OUR CHILDREN and deserve to be with us ALL the days of their lives!
They may only be our animals, but to them, WE ARE THEIR EVERYTHING!
Thank you Ari for helping to make a difference! We at Pethealthcare salute you and your team.