Yesterday I was walking my dog in the park within our community and one woman started yelling and verbally abusing me that no dogs are allowed inside the park and that she was going to complain against me. I thought the park was pet friendly and there are no signs saying ‘Dogs Not Allowed’.
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Answer by Neha Sharma, Hillsdale 2036 Sydney
- You should begin by looking at your community management statement. It should state if there are any restrictions on pets being on certain association property.
- If the park is listed within the management statement as a place where dogs are prohibited you must abide by that even if there are no signs reminding you that dog aren’t allowed.
- If a complaint is registered against you it is most likely that you will first be issued with a warning notice.
- You will need to take the warning notice seriously and abide by the rules in the management statement. Non-compliance can lead to fines being imposed.
- If the park is not listed within the management statement as a place where dogs are prohibited you are not doing anything wrong and can continue using the park.
- In any event it is inappropriate for anyone to use profanities against another person in a public place. There are usually by-laws against nuisance and inappropriate behaviour listed in the management statement.
- You may wish to lodge a complaint against the woman who verbally abused you with your managing agent or the executive committee. They may decide to take appropriate action.
- If you feel threatened or intimidated by another person at any time you can also call 000 and ask for police assistance.