Pet-friendly apartments very rare in the city

BANGALORE: Amongst all the brutality existing in the world today, we can still form an invincible bond characterised by loyalty and compassion with another living entity. Baptised as man’s best friend by George Graham Vest in 1869, dogs are the epitome of selflessness and unconditional love.  With the rising trend of a ‘no pet policy’ being adopted in high rise apartments, it has now become increasingly difficult for tenants to obtain condos that accept pets in Bangalore. Having a pet in a Bangalore apartment today is difficult but not an improbable proposition. However, distraught dog lovers wish for a relaxation of rules in their apartments. Many of them are faced with the dilemma of finding pet friendly apartments. And, that’s not all — building owners  have to deal with several issues too. “Many building owners feel that having a pet (especially a dog) contributes significantly towards maintenance costs. And, this leads to enforcement of the infamous no pet policy. I used to live in Ejipura and in my apartment, this rule was followed very seriously. Besides, some of the neighbours would not be very comfortable with animals around. It was a little inconvenient for those who wished to have pets. But, in my opinion, I believe that any pet lover should not opt for apartments. For, they are extremely confined. It is always best to go for independent houses that have lawns or a spacious terrace,” said Preetham, a resident.Afia, president of a building at Benson Town, felt that maintaining a hygienic environment far outweighs the inconvenience it causes to neighbours. “Having a pet requires a lot of effort and commitment from one’s side. I feel that pets especially dogs should not be isolated. It is extremely irresponsible on the owners part to leave them tied up. This eventually leads to neighbours complaining about noise. One of the main reasons why we don’t allow pets in our building is hygiene. Dogs need to be taken out for walks regularly. And, there is a high possibility that they could dirty the place,” she pointed out. Undoubtedly, it is the responsibility of pet owners to ensure that the whole saga of living with dogs is not gruesome an experience for others. “Well, sometimes it becomes impossible to reason with adamant neighbours. So, it doesn’t come as a big surprise when they try to make your life miserable with never-ending complaints. However, the scene isn’t as bad as it seems. I recently shifted to Koramangala 8th block and our building owner does not have any issue with pets,” said Arpita, a resident. However, there are buildings in Bangalore where both man and animal can co-exist. Apart from commenting on the possibility of not having any laws governing pets in buildings, Prathap Reddy (president of a building at Kormangala 5th block) did not feel the necessity for such a law. “We do not have laws for pets; and we have never had anyone lodging complaints against people who own them. Everyone is free to keep pets as long as they are responsible,” he said.