I live in an apartment and I would like to get a dog. Do I need approval before I bring the dog home? – Cassandra, VIC

Answer: Since you’re living in an apartment, the decision will be determined by the owners corporation and its pet by-laws. You should request a copy of the building rules to find out where your community allows or restricts pets. If your owners corporation has restrictive pet by-laws, it will be difficult to gain approval for your pet. By July 1, 2020, every tenant in Victoria will have the right to have a pet in their rental property under sweeping reforms to the state’s tenancy rules. For more information on the new laws to come into effect next year, visit the Victorian government’s website. To learn how to navigate pets in strata, read our article here.