Laws Surrounding Pets in Apartment Complexes

If you’re a pet lover or owner, chances are you’re familiar with the challenging task that is raising a pet in a housing/apartment complex. Every such complex has its own set of rules for pet ownership, which are in place to ensure the harmony of the community and residents are expected to adhere to these rules. To make sure that pets are not discriminated against, the Animal Welfare Board of India has passed a set of laws for their safeguarding. Pet owners need to be familiar with these laws, as it is necessary to do so to avoid any discrepancies in your apartment complex.

Pet Laws Governing Pets in Apartments

1. Banning Pets is Illegal - According to Section 9(k) Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, it is illegal for housing complexes to pass pet bye-laws that disallow pets. Not even a vote over the same validates the process, and no congregation can pass any laws that go against the provisions outlined in Section 9(k). Each being has a right to life according to the constitution, and each citizen must be compassionate towards them.
    
2. Discrimination is Prohibited - An apartment complex cannot discriminate against pets based on their size, age, or breed. They also cannot use distressed behaviors like excessive barking or whining to argue for a pet ban. 
   
   
3. Cruelty Against Animals is Punishable - An apartment complex cannot pass any rules or laws that harass pets. Cruelty towards animals, both pets and strays, is a punishable offence under Section 428 and Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code.
   
   
4. Feeding Cannot be Prohibited - An apartment complex and its dwellers cannot ban one or more residents from feeding stray animals in the complex.
    
5.  Use of Common Areas - An apartment complex cannot bar a pet from entering common areas such as lifts, parks, and lobbies, and cannot impose a fine for the same.

Responsibilities of a Pet Owner

While it is true that the general approach of an apartment complex towards pets is important, the pet owner also has a certain duty. As an owner, you should be aware of the rules and laws governing your pet, and of the responsibilities you have when you’re with your pet in a community.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when living in an apartment complex with a pet.

1. Training is Necessary - If you don’t train your pet, they won’t know how to behave indoors or outdoors. Training your pet during their younger years, teaching vital obedience commands and toilet training can save you a lifetime of inconvenience. An untrained animal in an apartment complex may be overwhelmed due to the sheer number of things happening at the same time, so train your pet to make them comfortable in all social situations. 
   
   
2. Familiarization Brings Comfort - An apartment complex will have many strange faces and smells, and your pet will need to safely interact with such elements in a common area. Familiarize your pet with their surroundings and neighbours so they don’t lash out. 
   
   
3.  Vaccinations are Essential - Vaccinations provide safe, effective, cost-efficient, and long-term protection against communicable diseases. Vaccinating your pet is essential, as you live in a community, and nobody should be exposed to harmful diseases due to owner negligence.
   
    Here are a Few Basic Vaccinations for Dogs and Cats:
   
   - For Dogs: Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Rabies, Leptospirosis (Core).
   - For Cats: Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Rabies, Feline Leukaemia.
   
   If you’ve adopted a pet and are unsure about their vaccination history, consider re-vaccinating them or get a Rabies Titer Test done to check for prior protection. 
   
   
4. Adhering to Norms - If you’re a long-time pet owner, you should inquire about the rules and regulations an apartment complex adheres to before moving in. The current rules will give you some idea about how pet-friendly a space is, and whether it has dedicated spaces or times for pets to roam around outdoors. Make sure to stick to the laws and be polite if you accidentally break one. Most disputes over space can be solved amicably if one keeps a cool head.
   
   
5. Cleaning Up After Yourself - Maintaining the cleanliness of general areas is important in a community, and one of the first issues raised by residents in a society is the mess created by pet excrement. You should clean up after your pet when taking them outdoors to relieve themselves and correctly dispose of the waste.
   
   
6. Being an Accountable Pet Parent - Regardless of how well-trained your pet is or how good they behave off a leash, you should always keep your pet on a leash when outside your home. Common areas often have children and the elderly relaxing in them, and an over-enthusiastic pet can be cause for concern in such a space, especially since they aren’t aware of their strength. Socialize your pet from a young age so they are comfortable around other people and animals and can function in a space like a society without being overwhelmed. Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise, and make sure your pet is well-fed in your absence if you're working during the day.

The rules and regulations of living space are in place for a reason. Peaceful co-existence is possible, provided a little empathy is displayed from both sides. As a resident, try to be patient with someone who is still training their pet to behave better, and as an owner, try to teach your dog the appropriate way of behaving in a shared space. Provided you keep your pet on a leash, clean up after them, and train them, everything should be smooth sailing.

Looking for pet transportation?  Need experts you can trust while travelling? Carry My Pet offers pet flight services for your comfort and convenience. Call 08908909020 or reach out to us at inquiry@carrymypet.com to make a booking today.

Preparing For Overseas Travel with Your Shih Tzu

Originally from Tibet, Shih Tzu’s are known for their adorably short snout and clever, playful personalities. As they are classified as a snub-nosed breed of dog, they require a little extra care if you’re planning on travelling with them. Flying with such breeds has been difficult in the past.

Whether it is domestic pet travel, or an international pet relocation, you will eventually have to fly with your pet. But, with the proper preparation and appropriate precautions, it can be a safe and comfortable journey for your pet. Here’s how to prepare for overseas travel with your Shih Tzu.

Preparing Before your Flight

There are a few things you can do to prepare your Shih Tzu for a flight, taking into consideration the extra care a snub-nosed breed needs while flying.

• Health Check Up - You should visit your vet before any potential travel. This is especially important if your pet has recurring or chronic health issues. If your pet is fit, the risk of any issues while traveling is miniscule. Schedule a vet visit and get a clean bill of health before embarking on a journey, no matter how short or long.
  
  
• Pet Crate and Training - When moving overseas, pets travel by air. Flying is the fastest method to cover large distances, and as pets can only fly in a pet crate, it s important to choose the correct one. Pets can only fly in an IATA approved fiber crate. Such crates are approved for air travel and meet the necessary safety standards.
  
  Once you choose an appropriate crate, it is important to crate train your pet. Whether they travel in cabin or in the cargo hold, they will spend the entire duration of their flight in the crate, so it is important to train them to be comfortable. 
  
  Start by letting them freely interact with the crate. Reward positive interaction and repeat the process daily until they are comfortable being inside it. Once they are relaxed, you can slowly start taking them outside in their crate. 
  
  Even if you don’t plan on travelling, you’ll need to travel with your pet at some point, and as a crate is the safest place for them to be, it is useful to train them to stay calm when inside it. 
  
  
• Travel in Cool Weather - Snub-nosed breeds do not enjoy high temperatures. You’ll find that a vast majority of airlines will not allow a snub-nosed pet to travel in the summer for this reason. To get around this, plan your travel with your Shih Tzu during the winter months or in cooler climate. Any risk posed by heat is minimized if you plan your travel appropriately

• Choose a Pet Friendly Airline - It is important to choose a pet-friendly airline. The recommendation of travelling in cooler climate isn’t one made due to the plane itself. Rather, it is because of the time spent by your pet on the runway, where temperatures range from one extreme to the other. Spending too much time on the hot runway is not ideal for your Shih Tzu. 
  
  This is where a pet-friendly airline comes in. Such an airline knows the delicate requirements of pets, and boards them on the plan on a priority basis. They also will have a pressure and temperature-controlled cargo bay, circulating the same air as the cabin, which makes it as safe to travel in as the cabin. Pet travel via air is only unsafe if an incorrect airline is chosen.

Flying a snub-nosed dog can be challenging. To fly a Shih Tzu, you need to plan, choose a pet friendly airline, and fulfil a fair number of health and safety requirements. This, when combined with the paperwork processes, can lead to stress about your move.

For safe travel, ensure you plan ahead and seek expert help, so that they can arrange an appropriate pet-friendly airline and help you with the documentation and preparation before flying. If you have any queries or concerns about your international pet relocation, contact us at query@carrymypet.com.  

Basic Tips to Move with Pets

 

Moving with your pet can be tough as health certificate can be a problem, there is a risk of developing anxiety in the flight, and customs can be an issue that can be frustrating. Don't worry, just follow these 5 effective tips to make pet export easy:

• Whenever you book a flight, whether for international pet relocation or domestic pet relocation, just keep the airlines in the loop about the pet's travel with you to avoid last-minute tension.
• Arrival at the airport should be early to take care of the customs and regulations related to your pet’s delivery.
• Keep your pet’s health records in hand to show for proof.
• Try to make pet shipping easier by taking adequate food, water, and a mattress for the pet.
• Also, make sure that your pet is calm before he/she boards the flight. To do this, take them for a long walk before the journey.

4 things to Know About Pet Moving

Pet journey can be stressful because of the customs and rules and regulations of the airport. Not to forget the anxiety issues that affect your pet’s health. To avoid all of this, follow the tips given below-

• Proper Planning — Planning in advance for pet relocation can help to avoid the last-minute hassle. Make sure to book the flight a month before the international pet transportation or domestic pet transportation.
• Checkup with Vet — Pet needs to be checked with a vet to avoid problems during the customs clearance. Also, a health certificate acts as proof that your pet is disease-free.
• Pet Tagging — The pet cage needs to have a tag that has your name, contact number, and other important details for avoiding confusion during boarding and de-boarding.
• Be Careful About Rules & Regulations — Pet travel rules of the flight need to be checked for your pet and the city or state to which he/she is going to avoid an inconvenient halt at the airport.

Learn to Teach Your Pet to Cope with Separation Anxiety

The pet would be will be anxious if you are leaving for a journey and you are not moving with your pet. Follow the below things to help your pet cope with anxiety-

1. Positive Attitude- Positive attitude is necessary as they might be wondering about you been gone for a long time. So, it would be good if you expressed how much you love them and going to come coming back.
2. Practice- You can train them to be outside the room and close the door and be inside.
3. Be Alert- Don't let them be too dependent on you. You can train them in dog crates to make them adapt to every living condition they are being put to.

Safe Summer Travel with Pets

 

Travelling with a pet can be quite difficult in summer, be it domestic or international pet travel. The heat might ruin your plan immensely. Follow the given tips to make your pet travel convenient during summer-

1. Not Allowed in Airlines– Pet might not be allowed in the airline if it is a bit large to travel in the cabin. Keep an eye on this detail.
2. Pet Hydration– Ensure your pet is hydrated properly during travel. Give your pet plenty of water before and during pet travel.
3. Grooming of Your Pet– Depending upon the hairstyle of your pet, you can groom your pet as it can help the pet feel less heat. It is not compulsory so only do it if you feel it is necessary.
4. Choose Travel Crate Wisely– The shape, size and needs of your pets have to be considered when choosing the travel crate.
5. Be Flexible Just Incase– Always be willing to stop the journey if your pet is not feeling comfortable. You can make sure that the pet is feeling easy and start your journey again.

Tips for Getting Your Pet Transported Safely

Whether you are changing your city/country or going on a vacation, there is always a stress of shifting your valuable belongings from one place to another, which now a days, can be easily sort out with freight forwarding companies, but what about your pets whom you cannot carry along with you? Would you be leaving them behind alone, or hand it over to someone else Would your heart allow to do so after taking his/her care for so many years like your won baby? No! Right? Then it’s time to learn about pet transport tips first. Hiring the pet transportation company is anyway obligatory, but must research about it advance so that your pet is taken to the destination safely. 

Get the medical checkups done

Getting the medical checkup done is not a last minute thing. It’s one of the primary tasks that need to be undertaken much in advance pet relocation. You might even not be aware if your dog is going through some kind of disease whose medication has to be started immediately so that he does not feel uncomfortable in travelling. Therefore if your departure is scheduled after 15 days, take your pet to the vet right away.

Hire the best pet transportation company

Though many companies claim themselves as the best, but you become aware of the reality only when you research well, and then take a decision. Here are some tips, which will help you a great deal in choosing the best pet transport services.

Hygiene

This is one of the most important things to look at. You are sure to get all facilities, but when it comes to sanitation, many companies fail as pets litter the place making it unhygienic for others.

Medication

Even while on the go, your cat or dog might require medicines at regular interval, but do you think this can happen without you? Yes, it surely can. With carrymypet.com, you can assure utmost care of your pet.

Food and water

Must go for the company that feed your pet with packaged food and water. You never know what reacts your pet, thereby making him/her uncomfortable all the way. Therefore good quality packaged food should only be fed.

Pet relocation though sound easy, but your mind would always be there where you little kid is, therefore talk to the company about on-time tracking, video calls, so that you are satisfied that your pet is travelling safely.