C.J. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
We would like to have a weight limit for dogs at our condo. We have discussed anywhere from 20 – 40 lbs. per dog. This is our preference to listing “dangerous breeds,” as we know that is harder to defend in court. Do many condos restrict dogs by weight; and, if so, what is a good weight-per-dog rule?
Mister Condo replies:
C.J., that is a great question! Many condominiums have simply chosen to restrict pets so as to avoid the great debate about which is more dangerous – an untrained dog or an untrained owner! You are wise to avoid the battle of breed classification with regards to the danger they present. Simple weight restrictions are far more defendable and fairly easy to enforce. In my experience, 20 pounds seems to be the most common but there are certainly no rules on weight restrictions and an aggressive Dachshund can be far more trouble than a gentle Great Dane. The real trick is getting buy-in from your current unit owners. What is the current make-up of the pet population in the association? Pet owners with pets larger than 20 pounds are not too likely to vote in favor of a weight restriction that could stop them from replacing a current pet when the time comes. If your community is serious about adding these restriction, you may want to speak to your association attorney about the proper procedure to do so. Also, keep in mind that assistance animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESA) may be immune from your rules. Good luck!