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 Placesa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 kind of become a bit of an uncomfortable environment and unfortunately theresa国际传媒檚 a few people in this building that just arensa国际传媒檛 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,sa国际传媒� 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, sa国际传媒淵our dog is already taller than the bylaw permits (14sa国际传媒� 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.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 incredible, shesa国际传媒檚 actually my first puppy. Isa国际传媒檝e had pets before but shesa国际传媒檚 my first dog and itsa国际传媒檚 been wonderful because I work from home now,sa国际传媒� Merani said. sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 been my saving grace this past year.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 got her when she was exactly eight weeks old. Shesa国际传媒檚 been with me every single day since then and I just cansa国际传媒檛, you know, it wouldnsa国际传媒檛 be my home. Like I wouldnsa国际传媒檛 want to live here without her, it wouldnsa国际传媒檛 be my home without her.sa国际传媒�

Merani said she didnsa国际传媒檛 realize there was a bylaw regarding a petsa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淭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,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 needed to get at least 75 per cent of support in changing that bylaw but unfortunately that didnsa国际传媒檛 happen.sa国际传媒�

Merani said other residents are violating the bylaw but sa国际传媒渦nfortunately Isa国际传媒檓 the only one being singled out,sa国际传媒� she said.

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

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

Strata council president Linda Moore also declined to comment.

sa国际传媒淚t concerns bylaw enforcement and Isa国际传媒檓 not able to comment. It might infringe on the privacy of the owner so wesa国际传媒檝e got to really be careful,sa国际传媒� she said Tuesday.

As for Meranisa国际传媒檚 claims shesa国际传媒檚 been sa国际传媒渟ingled out,sa国际传媒� Moore said, sa国际传媒淚 really donsa国际传媒檛 want to comment on that because that infringes on other owners as well.sa国际传媒�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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