Dog restrictions
 

Does anyone know anyone who has been called out by deed compliance for having an extra dog?
I have a friend who got a letter. (I will preface that by saying that she also has an unstable neighbor who spends his life trying to report people for violations.)
She was told, as I was, by her villages sales rep that you can move here with more than 1 dog, but don't replace it when it passes on. She did just that and the poor thing is now terrified that the pet patrol is going to search her house for her second dog and get rid of it. The letter doesn't say anything like this, it just says that she needs to make arrangements to be in compliance.
I had NEVER heard of this happening to anyone and she's such a sweet lady who lost her husband and all she has is these precious dogs. They never go anywhere, they go outside twice a day in her back yard and have never bothered anybody.
This makes me sad that she's so worried.

Check your neighborhood's deed restrictions. I only have heard of people who had three dogs can move here but cannot replace the third one when it passes. Two dogs is OK. But some neighborhoods could have other deed restrictions.

It all depends on the covenants for the house. In many parts of the Villages the covenants restrict each house to two dogs. In some of the older parts of The Villages, like the parts of the Historic Section in Lake County each house is limited to a single dog.

You can find deed restrictions here

Village Community Development Districts

My guess is that a one time or another every deed restriction has been called out. A year or two ago a house had to tear town a bird cage that was out of compliance.

Community Standards seems to followup on out of compliance complaints.

I took a look at covenants for our house and a few others and I didn't see any allowance for moving in with more dogs than the covenant allows. It sounds more like a sales person not wanting to lose a sale to me... but I'm kinda' cynical by nature anyhow.

Here is the number for your friend to call to ask them what is out of compliance;

352.751.3912

More info here;
Village Community Development Districts

Some places north of 466 are 1 dog. There was a copy of the deed restrictions included with her letter.
Not asking what they are, just asking if anyone knows how TV handles this, given that so many were told they can move here with more than allowed, but can't replace them.

I would imagine that a call to the number above would give her or you a definitive answer. I personally have never heard of a person having to give up a pet here.

Here is a thread from a few years back;

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...r+pets+allowed

The letter clearly states what is out of compliance. That's not what I'm asking.

Multiple dogs
 

I know of someone who had 5 dogs. She was given the choice down to 2 or move. She moved.
Where I live 2 dogs are allowed. We had 3 when we were moving and our sales person told us it was okay, but when we lost one we had to stay at 2. We now have 2 dogs.

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How sad. I can't believe two dogs would make her out of compliance...three maybe, but two?? If she truly is out of compliance and her neighbor insists on harassing her then perhaps you or another neighbor can "adopt" one of her dogs and then she could "pet sit" "your" dog for you on a continuous basis. No way could I give up one of my dogs, they're family. There are ways to finagle around it, she'll just have to get creative.

She is very scared to call them and admit that she has 2. She's afraid they're going to fine her daily until she gets rid of 1 dog.
I just can't imagine that they could come to your door and expect to inspect the premises for an extra pet.

I'm thinking of calling compliance and telling them that her psycho neighbor has a mini-horse and a pot bellied pig in his house. :boxing2:

I know many people who were allowed to move here with 3 dogs but are not supposed to replace one when it dies. hopefully she can get a variance or something. or perhaps one of her nicer neighbors can "adopt" one of her dogs so he officially belongs to someone else and she pet sits a lot for it. and please, I'd appreciate no irate replies about knowing the rules, reading covenants, etc. it's what she was told by a Villages person and it should be grandfathered in and their salespeople should be told to stop doing it. it's a temporary situation because one of the dogs will be gone eventually. why can't people have compassion. there's the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. again, spare me the barbs...resist the temptation

Do you live north of 466?

You don’t have to give an address of the person with the concern, any concern. Just make the call for them, give them her Village and you will have a better idea where she stands. Anonymity is good, they have enough to do. They are not sitting there thinking about one dog.

Is your friend required to answer the letter she received?

I’m being constructive, definitely trying to help. Good luck. The lady is fortunate to have a friend like you. Please let us know how you make out.

Laws must apply to all
 

I do not know your friend or the neighbor that YOU label as UNSTABLE. The FACT is one is your friend the other apparently YOU and?or your friend have had conflicts with.

Most things are truly simple. If, your friend has gotten a notice that she IS in violation, I would guess it has been checked and she is IN VIOLATION.

I assume she has been GRANTED a period of time to RESOLVE the VIOLATION. I assume from your post that she has not made any effort to RESOLVE THE VIOLATION.
An obvious solution would be for YOU TO ADOPT THE DOG.

My dad had a simple way of expressing the most complex issues. Your rights end where the next persons rights begin.

I see people posting on this board about violations of people putting up statues etc. Frankly it does not bother me. What does bother me is picking up dog poop someone left on my lawn. Seeing plastic bags of poop laying by the storm sewers-it does and will block up the sewers and your neighbors will have to pay for it. I wonder at times if the same people throwing bags odf dog poop down the sewers are also SCREAMING about plastic straws.

NO I'M NOT HER HEIGHBOR.

She's not required to, and doesn't want to unless she flat out lies and says she's not out of compliance. I think I'll do just what you suggested. Thank you!

According to our deed restrictions TV South 2 pets per family. We know people who have (3) and replaced the third living here. WE have been rescuing dogs for 30 years and as dog lovers we would like to have a third however in respect to all our other neighbors who follow the rules we agreed to, we will not add a third,.

If the easy way doesn’t work watch The Godfather Part 1 I believe. When the landlord tries to put a widow out because she violated the rules and the landlord gets called into The Genco Olive Oil Office and The Godfather in training negotiates a reduction in rent and the best line in the movie from the scared landlord. AND THE DOG STAYS, and at a lower rent.

Maybe a simple motivational conversation could change things for the better. :boxing2:

You shouldn't mention that you are calling about a friend who got a "dog" compliance letter if you are at all worried about deed compliance using your call as a way to confirm that there are two dogs in her house... that seems to be the reason your friend doesn't want to call.

Instead say you are interested in purchasing a house in your friends village but have two dogs. Tell them your sales rep said that would be ok if you didn't get another dog when one of them passes.

I have neighbors who have more than 1 (big) dog. They are very sweet dogs and do not bother me so I have no reason to complain. If they were vicious and I was fearful to come out of my house that might be a different story, otherwise why alienate your neighbors. We all moved here to enjoy our retirement happily. If you're gonna be a crab apple then maybe go back to where you came from? Just my opinion.

How many dogs does the person have? Do you both live north of 466?

I'm troubled by this talk of revenge. No one knows who made the call. The deed is done. Let it go.

As far as the violation goes - It is truly a shame that potential buyers are told that they can move in with one too many pets with the idea that nature will eventually bring them into compliance. Basically they are told that they can violate on a temporary basis. That's just not right.

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Shame on any sales rep who tries to make a sale by telling a prospective buyer that it's ok to move in and be in violation of the use restrictions. There are absolutely no provisions in the declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions that allow you to move in with more than the allowable number of pets as long as you don't replace any. And you're just asking for trouble, as in a case like this, where you have a neighbor who spots the violation and decides to report it.

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It appears many of the responses on this thread are missing the facts the OP reported.

The family moved into a section with a restriction of one dog per household. As typically done, the sales agent informed the buyers that they may bring both dogs, but must not replace a dog when it expired. This has been done thousands of times to allow new owners to move here despite the restriction with the promise to come into compliance when a dog (or dogs) dies.

Unfortunately, this lady ignored that when she replaced one dog, putting her out of compliance. Again, unfortunately, a neighbor has reported the violation. She has to come into compliance. Stop blaming the sales agent, The Villages, or the neighbor. We all agreed to abide by the deed restrictions when we bought here. I’m not unsympathetic, but this unfortunate situation was brought about by the homeowner herself.

I vote for that.

BUT... I don't see where OP says one dog died and she replaced it. I read it as she came in with two dogs, and the sales rep said it was okay.


Where does it say one of the dogs she came in with died and she brought in another second dog?

Here is exactly what my restrictions say about pets:

"Birds, fish, dogs and cats shall be permitted, with a maximum of two (2) pets per Homesite."

So if we had two fish and a bird we would either have fish or pheasant for dinner. Luckily we only have 1 dog.

(At our first home in TV we had a tank full of fish. Can't remember our restrictions back then, I sure hope I wasn't breakin the law!)

You assumed a lot. And you shouldn't.

She did NOT replace a dog. She has the same 2 elderly dogs she moved here with.

Please don't reply and bash this person if you didn't bother to read and COMPREHEND the previous posts.

My apologies to Mikeod. I mistook his post for the person who said she added another dog after she got here. But I will stand by the fact that THOUSANDS of people who move here believe what the VILLAGES sales person tells them. I guess they should not, and should be expected to terminate a pet that they were told could come here.

THIS is the quote from Mike that I meant to reply to: "Unfortunately, this lady ignored that when she replaced one dog, putting her out of compliance. Again, unfortunately, a neighbor has reported the violation"

She did NOT replace one.

Saying that someone should follow the rules doesn't seem like bashing.

They then might call compliance and say you have three dogs. You can never win a ****ing contest.

Say away! I will defend this lady vigorously. Not worried about me, I can defend myself quite well. This lady has nobody. Her husband died 2 months ago and she's already being attacked. I know the man who is doing this and we'll probably see him Baker acted soon.

Dogs
 

I admire you for being such a good friend to someone who needs help. Thank you for being kind.

Isn't the Baker act having someone committed because they are mentally ill? Maybe he needs compassion too. Sometimes people need love most who are the most unlovable.

My apologies. I misinterpreted the line where you stated
“She did just that.” I connected that to the warning about not replacing a dog, not that it meant she came with the two dogs upon the advice of the sales agent.

In that case, I would urge her to reply to the letter by contacting the compliance people with exactly that story. I would expect a positive outcome as there are many who got the same advice over the years.