How Do I Manage My Pet in a Shared Community?

Happy pets. Clean spaces. Good neighbors.

We love our four-legged residents! Living with a pet in a multi-family community requires a little extra consideration because your hallways, sidewalks, lawns, and other outdoor areas are shared with your neighbors- and their pets too.

Being a responsible pet owner helps keep the community clean, comfortable, and safe for everyone. Here are a few things to remember whenever you and your pet head outside.

Scoop It. Bag It. Toss It.

Let’s start with one of the biggest parts of being a good pet-owning neighbor: always pick up after your pet.

Pet waste should be picked up immediately, placed in a bag, and disposed of in a designated pet waste station or trash receptacle.

Never leave pet waste, or a filled waste bag, on the ground, near a sidewalk, in landscaping, or outside your home.

In a shared community, even a few people skipping cleanup quickly creates odors, attracts pests, and makes lawns and common areas unpleasant for everyone.

Residents are responsible for cleaning up after their pets. Failure to do so will result in applicable charges and breach-of-lease repercussions.

Leash Up Before You Head Out

Pets should be properly leashed and under your control whenever they’re outside your home.

Keep your pet close enough that you can maintain control when passing neighbors, children, other pets, or maintenance team members.

Additionally, pets should never be left unattended outside, including in common areas and other shared outdoor spaces.

Even if your pet is friendly, remember that your neighbors, or their pets, may not be as comfortable with an unexpected interaction.

Be Mindful of the Noise

Your pet’s behavior can affect your neighbors even when you’re both inside your home.

Residents are responsible for preventing excessive or disruptive barking, howling, or other pet-related noise, particularly during community quiet hours.

Occasional barking happens- we know they’re dogs! But ongoing or excessive noise can become a problem when you’re sharing walls and living close to neighbors.

Keep Pet Food Indoors

Please don’t feed pets outside or leave pet food or water in shared areas.

Food left outdoors can attract insects, rodents, wildlife, and stray animals, creating a much bigger issue for the community.

For the same reason, please don’t feed stray or community animals on the property. We know the intention may be kind, but outdoor feeding can create health, safety, and property concerns.

What About Visiting Pets?

The same community expectations apply to pets visiting your home.

Residents are responsible for their guests and visiting animals, so please make sure anyone bringing a pet onto the property understands the community’s requirements.

Your Pet. Your Responsibility. Our Shared Community.

A pet-friendly community works best when everyone does their part.

Before you and your pet head outside, remember:

Leash on. Waste bag ready. Pet supervised. Clean up every time.

Those simple habits help make shared spaces more enjoyable for your neighbors while keeping your community welcoming for pets and people alike.

Your lease, pet agreement or addendum, property rules, and posted notices govern the specific pet requirements for your community.

Thank you for being a responsible pet owner—and a good neighbor!