Gothamist: Landlord Wants To Evict Little Girl's Dog

annie

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 13:29:15 -0500

I once lived in that tall, ugly apartment building in Chinatown. It's a no-dogs building, but I knew many tenants that snuck their wee dogs in and out in messenger bags. So, the building personnel (mainly, the security gaurd stationed at the entance) never saw the dogs in order to report offenses, but many fellow residents knew, but we weren't about to tattle on our neighbors, though we did disagree with the flagrant defiance of policy.

Janine

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:19:44 -0500

annie, my reading is that you can't hide it. the super, the door-man and the neighbors have to have seen the pet and said nothing for 90 days. i don't think it can count if no one's ever seen it.

annie

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 20:04:43 -0500

About the 90 day rule, isn't it possible to hide your pet for three months and then claim you paraded it around the building the whole time? unless your building has a diligent doorman that spots it and reports it to the landlord, i think it'd be very easy for tenants to get away with. I'm in the process of evicting non-paying tenants who have stayed on beyond their lease term. until now, i never realized that landlords basically have no rights. i know there are quite a few slumlords out there, but the process is long, difficult, and costly even for us regular folks.

Tim N.

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 15:08:29 -0500

They couldn't get her a kitten? So let's get this straight... mom and dad move to Bensonhurst - which everyone knows is a depressing experience (sorry, couldn't resist) - into a building that doesn't allow dogs. Kid is depressed, doens't have friends in Bensonhurst like they had in Bay Ridge. So what's the lesson parents throw at kid about how to beat the blues? Break the rules! It sounds like the board at the building is being pretty hard-ass, but as someone who's on the board of a no-dog building (and someone with a seven-year-old daughter), it sounds like the Daily News ought to do an article of how parents can add insult to injury when dealing with their kids. I'm sure the building has rules about breaking windows with big rocks, but if that makes the kid feel better, are the parents going to advocate that, too? After all, rocks last longer than doggies...

Mr. Nosuch

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:22:36 -0500

It seems the building is no pets but no DOGS, so the actions of the parents really make no sense at all. Of course, many parents are guilty of thinking that the world should stop and revolve around their child, so this isn't hugely surprising. I do feel bad for the kid though.

Meghan

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:11:19 -0500

Why did her stupid parents completely ignore the no pets rule, setting their depressed kid up for disaster. I hate people who don't think the rules apply to them. The kid is a victim of asshole parents. If she's that precarious, perhaps they should be considering a move. The bottomline - I don't feel sorry for this family.

Janine

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 13:43:47 -0500

Isn't all this beside the point? What about the 90 day rule? "In its plainest reading, the Pet Law provides that once a pet is harbored in a multiple dwelling (a building with three or more residential units) for three or more months, openly and notoriously (not hidden from the building’s owners, agents, and on-site employees), then any no-pet clause in a lease is considered waived and unenforceable." From the NYC Bar Association "http://www.abcny.org/pethouse.html"

annie

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 13:37:57 -0500

If she thinks her dog will be with her forever, she's in for a shock. Based on the girl's comments it would seem her attachment to her dog could potentially hinder proper socializing with other kids. Her mom knew the policy and broke the rules. I hate people who do this. I agree that pets can make you feel better, but it isn't medically necessary. If she's still depressed from her move to a new neighborhood (and building with a no-pets policy), she probably needs something stronger than a dog. I'm depressed too and it would probably make me feel better to go out and kick a few asses, but I know the city looks down upon such behavior, so I'm refraining.

JarJar

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 12:57:57 -0500

I say make the kid write a 500 words minimum daily journal as to why the dog's making her feel good that day and submit it to the building's owners. If she really feels that strong about her dog, this is the least she could do to make the owners believe her.