Why are SA properties so anti pets

[Zellephant]

It’s always a bit of a pain when looking for a rental property, to find one that allows pets in South Africa. This seems to be in stark contrast to European cities, where allowing pets, even large dogs like bouviers etc in apartment complexes is considered normal.

But, now even while looking to buy some investment rental apartments, the vast majority have “no pets” rules for the entire building - so even if I buy the apartment, some verkrampte on the body corp wants to tell me me or my tenant wont be allowed to keep a dog. This seems so wrong to me. I mean there are municipal bylaws and health a safety regulations and animal welfare laws to del with tenants who keep unruly dogs, or dont keep up normal hygiene standards. So why block pets entirely. Even townhouse complexes with reasonable gardens seem to have no pet rules. It’s really near impossible to find places, other than freestanding homes, that allow pets.

We plan to put the apartments on Airbnb, so I am not too worried about the no pets rules for our short term rental tenants, but we also plan to use the apartments from time to time when we go into town from the farm, and I normally travel with my dogs, so it will be an issue for me (and being able to list as “pet friendly” is also a nice differentiator, if only we could find pet friendly apartments.

So, why can he Europeans allow large dogs in tiny apartments without much fanfare (people walk their dogs in the parks, or on the beach daily, they aren’t holed up), but saffa property managers cant manage to allow pets? I have always considered us South Africans pretty big much dog people.

 

[KulQkumba]

Saffas treat laws like they are mere suggestions to be considered depending on the mood... now you want to rely on them "doing the right thing" when it comes to their animals?

 

[saor]

so even if I buy the apartment, some verkrampte on the body corp wants to tell me me or my tenant wont be allowed to keep a dog. This seems so wrong to me. I mean there are municipal bylaws and health a safety regulations and animal welfare laws to del with tenants who keep unruly dogs, or dont keep up normal hygiene standards. So why block pets entirely.

Imo if you want a dog get a house. Your neighbors in the flat with a thin wall between you don't want to hear your brak yapping all day.

 

[Zellephant]

Imo if you want a dog get a house. Your neighbors in the flat with a thin wall between you don't want to hear your brak yapping all day.

A brak yapping all day is a clear public nusiance, which is why i mentioned bylaws and animal welfare laws. If you’re brak is yapping all day, there’s is a bigger problem at hand.

Why is it when we lived in Europe we could keep large dogs in a walk up apartments, as did almost all our neigbours, and there was never an issue. What is so different with South African buildings or South African dogs?

 

[saor]

A brak yapping all day is a clear public nusiance, which is why i mentioned bylaws and animal welfare laws. If you’re brak is yapping all day, there’s is a bigger problem at hand.

Sure. And I can tell you that nobody has the time to go through all that bs whenever there's a noisy dog. It's easier to just have a blanket 'no dogs in flats' rule than to deal with noise complaints and trying to enact things via welfare laws etc.

 

[Sworaxe]

Because noise.
Because some stinks never come out.
Because saffas specifically are not in the habit of walking their pets to do their business.
Because dealing with complaints about pet related issues are just another thing that needs to be resolved.
It's just easier to not allow pets.

Tenants are not all the same, some do not gaf about the property.
Like a tenant using the oven to "cook" off the engine oil from his Jettas head block.

 

[As1974a]

Noise levels. i live in a house and my dog and other dogs sometime lose their **** and just bark for no reason and keep everyone awake.
Then there's mess that owners don't pick up.
Then there's the Entitled who think the world must rotate around them. if they want no noise or anything then so be it. And most of them live in complexes to make you life a living hell. (so i bought a house and do what i want )

 

[Jam Sandwich]

Dogs are fine... Kids are the problem....

 

[Zellephant]

Sure. And I can tell you that nobody has the time to go through all that bs whenever there's a noisy dog. It's easier to just have a blanket 'no dogs in flats' rule than to deal with noise complaints and trying to enact things via welfare laws etc.

Because we aren’t very willing to use the systems in place is by far the worst argument to make. So it just proves there is nothing different with South African dogs or South African buildings. It’s simply that south’s african property managers are lazy and like bossing peoples around for nonsense.

Because noise.
Because some stinks never come out.
Because saffas specifically are not in the habit of walking their pets to do their business.
Because dealing with complaints about pet related issues are just another thing that needs to be resolved.
It's just easier to not allow pets.

Tenants are not all the same, some do not gaf about the property.
Like a tenant using the oven to "cook" off the engine oil from his Jettas head block.

I hear you, but that really shouldn't be an issue in upmarket apartment blocks. We talking about responsible upper middle class pet owners, not some parow dude running a puppy mill in the old municipal flats

 

[Big Rat]

Because we aren’t very willing to use the systems in place is by far the worst argument to make. So it just proves there is nothing different with South African dogs or South African buildings. It’s simply that south’s african property managers are lazy and like bossing peoples around for nonsense.

I hear you, but that really shouldn't be an issue in upmarket apartment blocks. We talking about responsible upper middle class pet owners, not some parow dude running a puppy mill in the old municipal flats

It is precisely these idiots that have a foofball yapping whole day long. and no amount of SPCA or visits from the local law enforcement will change that. The idea that law enforcement do their thing might work in Europe, but it does not work here. . SO blanket ban

 

[Sworaxe]

Because we aren’t very willing to use the systems in place is by far the worst argument to make. So it just proves there is nothing different with South African dogs or South African buildings. It’s simply that south’s african property managers are lazy and like bossing peoples around for nonsense.

I hear you, but that really shouldn't be an issue in upmarket apartment blocks. We talking about responsible upper middle class pet owners, not some parow dude running a puppy mill in the old municipal flats

Past experiences guide current day policies.
Probability of having issues related to pets if no pets allowed = 0.
Probability of having issues related to pets if allowed, unknown but definitely not 0.

In any case, houses with a yard for pets like cats or dogs are always much better for the health of the pets.

Also, if there is a case of animal being neglected, trying to get someone to come investigate and resolve the issue is again a big hassle in South Africa. Because most animal welfare places are non-profit / volunteers only. Ergo always short staffed. And good luck trying to get Police to respond to a low priority case like this.

 

[saor]

Because we aren’t very willing to use the systems in place is by far the worst argument to make. So it just proves there is nothing different with South African dogs or South African buildings. It’s simply that south’s african property managers are lazy and like bossing peoples around for nonsense.

It's like you think trustees are paid to waste time on bureaucratic nonsense. It's also hilarious being told by someone who lives in SA and knows how bad things work to 'use the systems in place'. Do you ever think beyond your own nose?

 

[Zellephant]

It's like you think trustees are paid to waste time on bureaucratic nonsense. It's also hilarious being told by someone who lives in SA and knows how bad things work to 'use the systems in place'. Do you ever think beyond your own nose?

I live in South Africa sure, but I live in a bubble in upper middle class South Africa where we pay for services over and above our taxes to ensure things work.

The apartments we were looking at, and the townhouses, are in enclaves that fit firmly in this “bubble”. So I really don’t see the people who can afford to, and want to live in these places will be problematic pet owners, or would tolerate neighbours who are, so the system would sort itself out, long before there is a real health and safety concerns or welfare concern.

As to trustees. They don’t need to be paid to waste time with beautocratic nonsense, most trustees are the kind of person that gets a hard on from creating beaurocratic nonsense. They will do that for free if it means they get to piss on someone else’s parade.

 

[A3@MBB]

So it just proves there is nothing different with South African dogs or South African buildings.

The variable that you do not consider is the tenant itself.

We talking about responsible upper middle class pet owners, not some parow dude running a puppy mill in the old municipal flats

You sure you want to venture into the rental scene?

 

[RedViking]

Kids and dogs are fine. Grownups are the problem.

 

[ShaunSA]

It’s always a bit of a pain when looking for a rental property, to find one that allows pets in South Africa. This seems to be in stark contrast to European cities, where allowing pets, even large dogs like bouviers etc in apartment complexes is considered normal.

The Europeans were always a bunch of stinkies

 

[Zellephant]

You sure you want to venture into the rental scene?

Only going to do short term/airbnb rentals, fully managed by a management agent.

We live on a farm. The plan is to have the apartments used by Airbnb renters when we aren’t using it, but have it available for us when we come into town for business or to attend shows/events. Airbnb ideally just needs to cover the levies/rates. we don’t need a tenant to cover the instalments.

But it’s really hard to find apartments in the Strand or Stellenbosch that are pet friendly.

 

[biena]

I mean there are municipal bylaws and health a safety regulations and animal welfare laws to del with tenants who keep unruly dogs, or dont keep up normal hygiene standards.

Laws yes, Enforced by ? not the SPCA dog stand yapping all day their response is call municipality, only requirement from SPCA is water and shelter. Municipality refers you to SPCA says they are contracted to enforce animal safety. Or the odd municipality that enforces noise ordinances it is enforced by metro police not SAPS, they don't care there are other crimes that take priority. "Dogs don't have a switch to stop barking" direct quote from a metro officer.

Health laws is even more of a laugh supposed to be enforced by municipality health inspectors. They don't even inspect shops as they should now you want them to inspect private properties, Not going to happen.

It’s always a bit of a pain when looking for a rental property, to find one that allows pets in South Africa. This seems to be in stark contrast to European cities, where allowing pets, even large dogs like bouviers etc in apartment complexes is considered normal.

This is not Europe, sooner you realize it the better.

But, now even while looking to buy some investment rental apartments, the vast majority have “no pets” rules for the entire building - so even if I buy the apartment, some verkrampte on the body corp wants to tell me me or my tenant wont be allowed to keep a dog.

Your words says it all. "verkrampte" you never had to deal with the nonsense. I want to make a bet that your pets will be a problem, taken from a farm and now in the city with a unfamiliar small yard. Neighbors are going to hate you.

So why block pets entirely. Even townhouse complexes with reasonable gardens seem to have no pet rules. It’s really near impossible to find places, other than freestanding homes, that allow pets.

People learned. Its easier to ban something that to hope that people will be reasonable.

So, why can he Europeans allow large dogs in tiny apartments without much fanfare (people walk their dogs in the parks, or on the beach daily, they aren’t holed up), but saffa property managers cant manage to allow pets? I have always considered us South Africans pretty big much dog people.

Yeah in SA neighborhoods people walk their dogs, they **** on the sidewalk, it does not get picked up, left for the smuck living there to deal with, Cats piss and **** everywhere once again not the owner that has to deal with the stink and mess.

Apparent that you never had to deal with other peoples pets that make your life unpleasant.

AirBnB, yeah neighbors are defensibly going to hate you, many places have rules preventing short-term rentals, once again with good cause.

 

[satanboy]

Having a big dog in an apartment is entirely possible, provided you commit to consistent, high-intensity exercise (long walks, running) and mental stimulation to prevent boredom and destructive behavior. Success hinges on routine, proper training, and choosing a calm breed or managing energy levels effectively.

Most people cannot "manage" this.

 

[Blu82]

As somebody who was a body corporate member who had to deal with complaints, 90% of complaints were pet related. During meetings we discussed the fact that the single biggest mistake that was made was not adding a blanket ban on pets when the initial rules were decided on.

Instead of tackling critical issues pertaining to the complex we were dealing with pets.