Can I keep a pet? (Owners and Tenants)
Whether you can keep a pet in your strata scheme depends on the by-laws made or adopted by its owners corporation. It is therefore important to obtain a copy of the by-laws when considering whether to keep a pet or purchase or rent in the scheme.
OwnersYou may need to obtain prior written consent from the owners corporation in order to keep your pet in the scheme, depending upon the by-laws which apply. Consent may be sought by writing a letter to the secretary of the owners corporation.
TenantsYour landlord or the landlord’s real estate agent should provide you with a copy of the lease and the by-laws pertaining to the strata scheme. You will need to obtain the permission of your landlord or their real estate agent. Depending on the by-laws for the scheme, even if they agree, they may have to obtain the consent of the owners corporation, so you should not sign the lease until written consent has been granted, or ensure the lease is made conditional upon owners corporation consent being granted, and that if it is not, you will be able to terminate the lease without penalty.
DisputesThe issue of keeping of animals in strata schemes is a common area of dispute, usually involving an owners corporation's refusal to allow animals even though allowing pets is not specifically prohibited in the by-laws of the strata scheme in question.
If an owners corporation does not want animals it needs to make that position very clear by passing a by-law that prohibits all animals except the keeping of companion animals (as they are generally allowed by law, e.g. guide dogs).
(Ref: Strata Community Aust)