Pet Bylaws: What You Need to Know

Pets are a big part life for some of us. Being animal lovers ourselves, we understand that a lot of condo buyers need to know exactly what type of pet bylaws there are in any building they’re looking at.

Searching for a new condo, while being a pet owner, can be a bit intimidating as some condo buildings don’t seem to be the most pet-friendly, with many having restrictions on size, type & number of pets and some not allowing any pets at all.

Your real estate agent can set up a search for you with specific criteria to ensure that ‘dogs’ or ‘cats’ are allowed in the building, however that doesn’t always ensure that your dog or cat will still be allowed. Bylaws may allow for 2 dogs, but they may restrict those dogs to be a maximum height or weight. Some condo buildings even restrict certain breeds or types of dogs. There are some buildings that don’t restrict size, type, or number of pets – but most will at least have a pet bylaw that says how many pets any owner is allowed to have. There are a handful of buildings around Victoria that will allow a dog with no size restrictions listed, so if you’re someone with a large dog, it may be best to talk to a real estate agent that is well-versed in the Victoria condo market to get a better idea of where to start.

As you’re narrowing down your search, your real estate agent should have access to the strata bylaws of any current MLS® listing, which will allow them to verify the specific pet bylaws for you anytime you see something of interest – before you spend your time booking an appointment and deciding whether you want to purchase the property or not.

It is very important when purchasing a condo to review all of the rules and bylaws, and understand how they might apply to you – now, and in the future. Pet bylaws are only one category to look at, so ensure that you read through all of the rules & bylaws fully incase there’s anything else that may restrict you from enjoying your new building to the fullest!

If you are looking to purchase or sell a property in the current market, or in the future, it’s important to have an expert on your side. Get in touch with The Condo Group Real Estate, reimagined as Island Realm Real Estate Ltd.for more information at 250-382-6636.

Come meet your Condo Experts, and visit our modern new office, designed to enrich your buying and selling experience, located at 102-3645 Tillicum Road, Victoria, BC. In the meantime, search through thousands of listings in the Greater Victoria Area here.

— The Condo Group Real Estate, reimagined as Island Realm Real Estate Crew