I'm in trouble with the law

[purrley]

Sas,
Thanks for your support and yes, I wish I lived in Vermont too - if not for the legal stuff but for the gorgeous State it is

[Fuzzy317]

A person (I don't actually know him) had problems with his HOA not allowing him to put up decorative lamp posts in his yard. They had no rule about house color, so to get back at them he painted his house a nice shade of pink.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Hi, Purrley ~

I went back and read your original post...

Originally posted by purrley:
...from the City... An officer from animal control issued me a citation because I'm in violation of having too many of one species of animal in my home ... 4 cats are 2 too many - they will make me relocate 2...

I'm certainly no legal expert, but I think you've run up against a possibly very legal and enforcable City or local Law or Ordinance that you may have a very hard time fighting. You said a little later...

"I just called the court and all they want is my money. $100.00 will clear up the problem."

Although the Condo folks may have reported that you have 4 cats, now the City knows that you have 4 cats and is probably trying to enforce the 2 cat limit. My first question would be to the Court or Animal Control:

IF you pay the $100 fine or penalty - Are you then legally allowed to KEEP all 4 cats - or can Animal Control come back a week later and issue another citation???

You should find out if your were cited for failure to license the cats; or if you did violate a City limit on the number of same-species animals. Possibly you can solve the problem by buying a Kennel or Breeder's License? I'd ask some serious questions before you decide to fight or pay the fine. I sort of doubt that paying the fine will "solve" the problem forever. Whoever reported you this time will have no problem reporting you again.

Even if you are able to come to terms with the City; THEN you'll have to worry about the Condo Association and their CC&R's. Sounds to me like Salt Lake City is a tough place to raise a Kat Family!

All things considered ~ You have nothing to loose by talking the situation over with Animal Control. I'd suspect that you're not the ONLY one in Salt Lake that owns 4 cats!

*Ding* >Idea!< Ask a friendly neighbor to ADOPT two of the Katz - even license them in her name if necessary. Then she can just let them visit at your house whenever the cats want to.

Good luck; but try to find out some more details of what you're really up against.

[Eudora]

I got in trouble too. You know my previous dachschund Sugar? Well people were stepping in bits of poo all over our neighbourhood and accusing my dear, sweet Sugar of having done the dirty deed. It turned out to be a neighbour who was letting her cat run all over the neighbourhood, but the people still complained to the district authorities and I had to keep Sugar indoors for a week- no walks! you can imagine how far I had to go from our district to walk Sugar... so I think you should let a neighbour keep the other two cats til you can clear having four cats in your house... it's either that or move!!

[purrley]

Cinder & Smoke - When I contacted the Court I already told them I had a notarized letter stating that 2 of the cats had been relocated and asked if they needed to see it - they said no, just pay the fine, unless I wanted to appeal it to the Judge. So I'm going to keep the letter just in case the problem arises again. In the meantime, no one needs to know how many cats I have and it's my word against anyone elses. Also I'm strongly considering selling and moving. I don't like that a group of people can tell me what I can and cannot do!!!!!!
By the way - I wouldn't trust anyone in my condo complex to "ADOPT" any of my cats, as far as I'm concerned none of them are "FRIENDLY", sad huh


[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: purrley ]

[sasvermont]

Purrley,

I would put moving on my "to do" list if I were you.

I hope everything works out for you and you are able to keep your pets together.

Ain't life grand sometimes?

Regards,
SAS

[ramanth]

purrley, I'm so sorry that this is happening to you.

My apartment is located right next to the main door into the building. So when Kia is outside on her lead, she can people watch the other residents. Nearly everyone runs up to her and pets her.

But one family treats her like she's the anti-Christ. Mainly it's their daughter, who, once she spots Kia either coming up the side walk or leaving the building will start screaming like a banshee. The parents will babble and flail their arms. Kia never barks, never runs at her, nothing. She just sits and looks at me like, "What's HER problem?"

I hate to add but they are of Middle Eastern decent. I only say this because they don't seem to speak or understand English very well.

I have been very patient, smiling, and saying that Kia would never hurt them. I'll even take Kia inside for a short time if I see them pull into the parking lot.

After about a month's worth of "screaming incidents" I get a note taped to my door with a complaint made against Kia about how she's left outside unattended.

This is Bull@#&%$. I'm pretty sure it was them who made the complaint. That's one strike. Three strikes and Kia would have to go.

I'll live out of my car before I give up Kia.

Lately, I haven't seen the family.

Best of luck with you purrley. I'd move too before ever giving up my furbabies.

~Kimmy

[purrley]

Oh Kim that is so awful - maybe that little girl was bitten by a dog and that's why she's so afraid. Anyway I share your feeling - I would do everything and anything possible to keep my family, someone would have to kill me to get to them. And by the way, your Kia is absolutely beautiful to say the least!!!!

[ramanth]

Thanks purrley.

I would guess the girl had been bitten by her reaction too. I feel very sorry for her and I try to explain whenever she does this that Kia won't hurt her.

The strange thing is... the whole family huddles together and they speak their native tongue all while eyeing Kia suspiciously.

Ah well. I haven't seen them so I think they may of moved.

I also wanted to congraulate you on your 9 years of sobriety! Way to go!!

~Kimmy

[purrley]

Thank you Kim - and I bet those people are just talking about how beautiful your Kia is and how gorgeous her eyes are. I must say if I saw you walking with Kia I would be a little intimidated too until I was sure she is friendly. You know even the tinyest dogs can be intimidating - my little Chi can growl up a storm and those little puppy teeth - ouch

[tatsxxx11]

Kim...As to your comment about the "screaming" child...I have several wonderful friends of middle eastern descent. This may be a cultural thing!! I adore them and they me. But they CANNOT fathom how I, or how Americans overall, tolerate animals, especially dogs, in our homes! The idea of a pet on a bed or kitchen makes them nuts!! They tell me that in their countries of Lebanon and Syria, household pets are frowned upon, considered dirty and disease spreading. Maybe that could be the root of her issue??

Purrley, I feel so badly for you. I went through a similar thing in an apt. years ago. "No Pets Allowed." The real estate agent assured me though that 2 kitties would be overlooked. Well, seems the renter before me had birds! I spent days cleaning up and vacuuming up birdseed No big deal. All was well for about a year. Until the super decided to let himself in to perform some repair without me there. I came home that night from work to find an eviction notice on my door!! "Get those filthy animals out of the apt. or you must vacate in one week." Seems one of the kids had a hairball on the floor!!!!!!
Big deal! Geeeez! I went down to talk to him. He spoke mostly Spanish. He told me that I let the cats poop on the floor! I was !! He wouldn't listen to me when I said it was just fur and saliva! He kepy yelling, calling me and them names and I wanted to punch him! I don't think his culture looked too fondly upon pets being inside homes either! His reaction was SO over the top! Well, I was out of there by the end of the week!! My kids have to go, I go too!! I hope your situation gets resolved more happily!!

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: tatsxxx11 ]

[jennifert]

Purrley, I hope everything works out for you! It does sound like the City ordinance is the problem this time, not so much the condo rules and regs...I would definitely consult a lawyer on this one...Perhaps that ordinance about 2 of the same species in one household is an old law that needs to be modified...I don't know how you go about finding out this info or taking care of this but I'll be happy to help research via the internet!! I have had bad experience with the courts and animals in the past. The laws are written with a definite slant to humans and very little if any consideration to the pets. I actually had a judge tell my mother and I that we had one week to get rid of your dog or it was going to the pound. (this was on a first-time barking complaint from a neighbor!) So I try to avoid the "system" now and look for other ways to win the "war."
Re: the condo association. I would just move out if it's a possibility. I know it's expensive beyond belief but you may be so much happier!! My boyfriend lives in a no-pets apartment complex right now but I bring Duncan over there all the time. They started to give us a hard time and said that per the lease, dogs cannot "live" there. We countered by saying that he does not "live" there, he is licensed at my address, he just "visits" there,(sometimes for days at a time, but that's between you and me ) I also called up anonymously one day and asked if I could have pets in the apartments and they asked me what kind? I named everything I could think of, bird, cat, mice, gerbil, hamster, snakes, fish, etc.. She said I could have everything except the snake and the dog. I told her she was discriminating against certain animals and she hasn't bothered us again! I don't think I have a legit argument there but it put her off or a few weeks!!
Anyway, I have babbled enough. Just wanted to let you know I'm wishing you well and am on your side in this one!!

PS, I have a friend that is Greek that thinks dogs inside the house are disgusting and dirty...WEIRD!!?!?!

[Gio]

I wish I could give you some advice but the laws are entirely different over here. Basically, if the pets are not considered a nuisance and there are no complaints, you can keep as many as you want. It might be different in furnished apartments.

What baffles me is that the law in your city says that you cannot keep more than 2 animals of the same species. Does it mean that you could keep 2 of 2 or more species.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[purrley]

My City Ordinance is 2 cats, 2 dogs, not 3 cats or 3 dogs - nothing over 3 of any species allowed within the city limits. This is a new law - our City has only been incorporated for a year. Evidently I was supposed to have received a document with all the new rules and regs in the mail and I probably did, but didn't read them. Anyway, ignorance of the law is not a defense anyway. I'm still thinking seriously of moving and will definately do so if the Condo Complex gives me any more trouble. Right now I'm worried about my dog - when I leave for work and have to put her in the crate, she just barks up a storm and I'm afraid my neighbor next door may be disturbed. I leave for work at 5 in the morning. If he complains, which I don't think he will, I will have to relocate her

[ramanth]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11:
Kim...As to your comment about the "screaming" child...I have several wonderful friends of middle eastern descent. This may be a cultural thing!! I adore them and they me. But they CANNOT fathom how I, or how Americans overall, tolerate animals, especially dogs, in our homes! The idea of a pet on a bed or kitchen makes them nuts!! They tell me that in their countries of Lebanon and Syria, household pets are frowned upon, considered dirty and disease spreading. Maybe that could be the root of her issue??

Wow! I never knew that. That definately makes sense. I guess in that case there is nothing I can do to convince them that Kia is a nice pooch. If I see them I'll just have to be patient as I always am or just take Kia inside.

~Kimmy