A Toronto condo wants to charge dog owners $15 a month, but is that legit?

[canada-man]

A new rule forcing condo residents to pay a monthly fee for each dog they own to offset cleaning costs has some people crying foul.

"It's just unconscionable," said Gina Giorgetti, a dog walker whose clients live in the building. "Are we going to make them pay for children as well?"

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A notice posted recently in the Quad Lofts at 23 Brant Street, near King Street West and Spadina Avenue, says the $15 fee, which will go into effect on May 2, is to pay for "additional spot cleaning, carpet cleaning and general maintenance" that condo management says is the result of dog owners not cleaning up after their pets.

"Unfortunately some dog owners are not taking responsibility for their dogs, and are allowing them to defecate and urinate on the common elements, and bring in extra debris without cleaning up after them," the notice reads.

Giorgetti says the building is small, and although she has seen "big wet spots outside of the elevators or in hallways," most people try to be good neighbours. She insists the offending parties are in the minority.

"I think that irresponsible dog owners should be penalized and responsible dog owners should not have to pay the fee — bottom line," she said.

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However, Toronto-based lawyer Audrey Loeb, an expert in condo law, says it does not appear to be a valid rule.

"In all my years I haven't seen a rule of this nature," Loeb told CBC Toronto, explaining that selectively choosing a group of people in a condo to levy a charge against is "not enforceable."


Loeb says communal living can be difficult, but fining everyone for the mistakes of a few is "not fair."

"I'm sympathetic to the corporation, don't get me wrong," she said, explaining that new amendments to the Condominium Act in Ontario have made finding owners who constantly break the rules "very challenging."

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If owners are unhappy with the new rule, they have 30 days from the time the notice was posted to demand a meeting where they can challenge it.

CBC Toronto reached out to the condo management and the board but has yet to hear back.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/condo-dog-fee-15-1.4608823

 

[silk123]

it's a good idea, a lot of dog owners are lazy, they wait the last minute to take the dog out, then the dog ends up shitting and peeing in the elevator and lobby. I see it first hand, the Dog is not the problem it's the lazy dog owner. And the dog owner will just leave the mess, so other people walk in to the condo and see this, if you hit the dog owner in the pocket they will be more responsible.

 

[commommants]

Seems fair but they’ll definitely not be picking up the dog shit now...

 

[Keebler Elf]

Sounds like a shitty building to live in. :drum:

 

[managee]

Not having a dog these days, I’m fully in-favour of this idea.

I can see how this might be unfair to impose on existing tenants. I imagine it’ll get folks in a lot of buildings more interested in their condo board.

 

[basketcase]

I'm sure the building has cameras and specific fines could be levied every time a dog pees on the carpet or on the grass/plants outside. Having owned dogs, I have a feeling $15 per month would be cheaper.

 

[managee]

I'm sure the building has cameras and specific fines could be levied every time a dog pees on the carpet or on the grass/plants outside. Having owned dogs, I have a feeling $15 per month would be cheaper.

Although I agree that it would be an even more fair way to run the program. I wonder if it would be cost-effective to monitor common-area footage 24/7 closely enough to spot an accident in the hopes of handing out a ticket.

I also imagine a lot buildings don’t have cameras that hit every square-foot of common spaces, and I can’t imagining being forced to pay for something that happened off-camera.

 

[Occasionally]

I lived in condos years back. And every one allowed pets.

Pet owners are the biggest assholes. Their dogs piss and shit everywhere..... on condo property, in the nearby parks, on their fucking balconies..... which if you have a shared balcony with a divider wall, some of the shit blows over to your side (from under the divider wall) in cool weather when the turds get hard and the wind can blow it around.

Thank god I live in a house now.

For those of you who have never lived in a condo, put it this way.... every nearby park becomes every dog's bathroom. Multiple the dog waste by 2-3 times per day per owner.
Have fun letting your kids play in the grass or perhaps chilling out and sitting on the grass in a park near a 40 floor tower. It's all dog waste.

It's easily visible because grass becomes very dark when dogs piss on it (after it rots), and in the winter the park (which should be nice and white with snow) is all yellow and brown. In the summer, you can't really see it because the dog piss disappears into the grass and soil and dog shit kind of blends in with grass and dirt. But in the snow, it all shows.

 

[Occasionally]

it's a good idea, a lot of dog owners are lazy, they wait the last minute to take the dog out, then the dog ends up shitting and peeing in the elevator and lobby. I see it first hand, the Dog is not the problem it's the lazy dog owner. And the dog owner will just leave the mess, so other people walk in to the condo and see this, if you hit the dog owner in the pocket they will be more responsible.

At least a cleaner will clean it.

How about dog owners letting their dogs piss and shit right outside the building along the stone walkway? Something like that doesn't get cleaned up fast and by the end of the day, people mistakenly step on it and it becomes a trail shoe prints with dog shit.

Every owner will say.... "Not me. I clean up 100% of my dog's shit". All liars. If that was the case you wouldn't see dog shit anywhere.

 

[Insidious Von]

Not it's not legit, it's punitive. And we all know how people react to those.

You either allow pets in the building or you don't.

 

[Mr Deeds]

As a condo manager myself I can tell you pets are a huge issue for a building. They do require alot of extra maintenance for staff and there is quite a bit of ware and tear on the building. The board is aloud to pass bi laws as they see fit, however this is going to be a hot potato in almost every condo. I think however its a good idea if people want to keep a dog and its going to require extra cost for the corporation then I think a fee to cover costs is in order.

 

[Beaverlicker]

I have a property that I cut the grass snd maintain in the spring and summers. Fuckin dog shit on my grass everyother time i cut the lawn!! WTF. Charge every dog owner in the city! Dog Parents clean your ship up!

 

[rbadun]

As a condo manager myself I can tell you pets are a huge issue for a building. They do require alot of extra maintenance for staff and there is quite a bit of ware and tear on the building. The board is aloud to pass bi laws as they see fit, however this is going to be a hot potato in almost every condo. I think however its a good idea if people want to keep a dog and its going to require extra cost for the corporation then I think a fee to cover costs is in order.

This is a great idea!! Fully support it. Some of these dog owners really leave a mess everywhere

 

[Smallcock]

Pets shouldn't be allowed in condos, period. The problems caused are not the animal's fault but it is the fault of their disgusting owners. But a no pet policy and all problems are eliminated. If you need to be around animals so badly, get a job at the zoo or move to a farm.

 

[Occasionally]

As a condo manager myself I can tell you pets are a huge issue for a building. They do require alot of extra maintenance for staff and there is quite a bit of ware and tear on the building. The board is aloud to pass bi laws as they see fit, however this is going to be a hot potato in almost every condo. I think however its a good idea if people want to keep a dog and its going to require extra cost for the corporation then I think a fee to cover costs is in order.

For sure.

In condos, residents get charged fees for damages they cause, clean up fees if you use the party room and are excessively messy, you scratch up the elevator moving in or out etc..... And people seem to have no problem with these penalties.

So condo boards should extend the fee structure to owners who want to leave their dog's shit everywhere.

Funny how cat owners have no problem having their cat use a litter box in their unit and then clean the box every once in a while. But for a dog, they hurry up and bring them outside to lay their shits and spray their piss.

As I said before, thank god I have my own house. No more seeing yellow and brown everywhere. And also, some owners have those annoying small dogs that are loud and bark the second anyone walks down the hallway. Some reason larger dogs don't do this, but small dogs often like to yap and bark at everyone.

 

[Samranchoi]

For sure.

In condos, residents get charged fees for damages they cause, clean up fees if you use the party room and are excessively messy, you scratch up the elevator moving in or out etc..... And people seem to have no problem with these penalties.

So condo boards should extend the fee structure to owners who want to leave their dog's shit everywhere.

Funny how cat owners have no problem having their cat use a litter box in their unit and then clean the box every once in a while. But for a dog, they hurry up and bring them outside to lay their shits and spray their piss.

As I said before, thank god I have my own house. No more seeing yellow and brown everywhere. And also, some owners have those annoying small dogs that are loud and bark the second anyone walks down the hallway. Some reason larger dogs don't do this, but small dogs often like to yap and bark at everyone.

I have seen notices in condo buildings reminding cat owners not to flush cat litter down the toilets or put down the drains. Apparently many do that

I hate when dog owners let their dog piss on my blue box as they let them run around in the neighbourhood

 

[Occasionally]

I have seen notices in condo buildings reminding cat owners not to flush cat litter down the toilets or put down the drains. Apparently many do that

I hate when dog owners let their dog piss on my blue box as they let them run around in the neighbourhood

Ha. I'd never seen notices back then about clogging toilets. Never knew that was a thing. Not surprised though.

As for my house, our neighbourhood has almost no dogs. On our street I've seen maybe two dog owners, so the chances of dog shit is low. I can't even remember the last time I saw shit on my grass. But as a kid growing up, our neighbourhood had more dogs.

Funny how their front lawn always seemed to have no shit. You'd think their property would have the most simply because the dog lives there.

But what most dog owners do is the second they take the dog outside, they hurry up and walk the dog around so when the dog has to piss and shit, they are already off their own property and it goes on someone elses.

Notice how no dog owners in houses ever take the dog outside, have the dog shit on their own property first, and then walk it around the neighbourhood? Dogs are trained to go to the bathroom pretty fast when they get outside. All the owner has to do is wait a few minutes, let the dog go to the bathroom and then walk it around. But the second they get outside, it's a fast dash down the sidewalk, so that shit ends up at house #3 or 4 down the block.

 

[Polaris]

Must admit it, I do not like dog owners in this city. They are the worst.

The government should just ban dogs from the city of Toronto, period.

Ever notice those dog parks, where owners can unleash their dogs?

They use to do that.

Now, dogs are running unleashed everywhere.

 

[Smallcock]

Must admit it, I do not like dog owners in this city. They are the worst.

The government should just ban dogs from the city of Toronto, period.

Ever notice those dog parks, where owners can unleash their dogs?

They use to do that.

Now, dogs are running unleashed everywhere.

That tiny park around King & Portland is just a dog toilet. Laying on that grass can't be healthy. Might as well picnic in a sewer.

It's out of hand. The selfishness of a minority of residents shouldn't be allowed to destroy public areas for everyone else.

 

[glamphotographer]

I like it.