A Surrey woman has been told by her strata council to get rid of her beloved dog Scout because the nine-month-old Golden Retriever is more than 14 inches tall at the shoulder, contrary to Boundary Park Place乌鸦传媒檚 bylaw governing pet height.

After unsuccessfully trying to fight it, rather than say goodbye to her pet, Rabiya Merani has decided to sell her Newton home and move on.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 kind of become a bit of an uncomfortable environment and unfortunately there乌鸦传媒檚 a few people in this building that just aren乌鸦传媒檛 really demonstrating kind of the values that I want to make sure I live by and so for that reason I want to find a new place where both Scout and I will be welcome,乌鸦传媒� she told the Now-Leader.

Merani received a letter from strata manager Kathy Blake on Nov. 6, with a copy to the council president, telling her, 乌鸦传媒淵our dog is already taller than the bylaw permits (14乌鸦传媒� at the shoulder) and as such the Strata Council voted that you must remove the dog from the premises. The date by which the dog must be removed is December 6, 2020.乌鸦传媒�

Merani has lived at Boundary Park Place, a 34-unit condominium complex, since October 2019 and got Scout in May 2020.

She said Scout, who is now 19 inches tall at her shoulder, has been a good companion during the pandemic.

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 incredible, she乌鸦传媒檚 actually my first puppy. I乌鸦传媒檝e had pets before but she乌鸦传媒檚 my first dog and it乌鸦传媒檚 been wonderful because I work from home now,乌鸦传媒� Merani said. 乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 been my saving grace this past year.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 got her when she was exactly eight weeks old. She乌鸦传媒檚 been with me every single day since then and I just can乌鸦传媒檛, you know, it wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be my home. Like I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 want to live here without her, it wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be my home without her.乌鸦传媒�

Merani said she didn乌鸦传媒檛 realize there was a bylaw regarding a pet乌鸦传媒檚 height on the books, and when she did she contacted the property management company to see what the process was to get the bylaw changed.

乌鸦传媒淭he first step was getting 20 per cent of the owners to sign a petition to get the bylaw changed as an item on the agenda for the AGM, which I did with ease,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 needed to get at least 75 per cent of support in changing that bylaw but unfortunately that didn乌鸦传媒檛 happen.乌鸦传媒�

Merani said other residents are violating the bylaw but 乌鸦传媒渦nfortunately I乌鸦传媒檓 the only one being singled out,乌鸦传媒� she said.

The Now-Leader reached out to Strataco Management Ltd. for comment Monday.

乌鸦传媒淭his is a matter between the owners and the strata corporation,乌鸦传媒� Blake said. 乌鸦传媒淚f I comment I can be inadvertently breaching privacy and other important issues and so at this time I really don乌鸦传媒檛 have comment for you.乌鸦传媒�

Strata council president Linda Moore also declined to comment.

乌鸦传媒淚t concerns bylaw enforcement and I乌鸦传媒檓 not able to comment. It might infringe on the privacy of the owner so we乌鸦传媒檝e got to really be careful,乌鸦传媒� she said Tuesday.

As for Merani乌鸦传媒檚 claims she乌鸦传媒檚 been 乌鸦传媒渟ingled out,乌鸦传媒� Moore said, 乌鸦传媒淚 really don乌鸦传媒檛 want to comment on that because that infringes on other owners as well.乌鸦传媒�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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