Need help ASAP with letter to HOA!

[Kiwibird]

The letter was sent over this morning already by the relator. I did make some changes and appreciate all the suggestions! The final draft read:

To the HOA of ----------------------:

We are very excited at the prospect of purchasing unit 10210 and joining the ---------------------------- community! From what we saw, it looks like a very nice place to live with a lot to offer. Our real estate agent, -----------, provided us today with a copy of the HOA rules. We saw that all pets must be registered and wanted to introduce you to our feathered family member Kiwi! We know many people have not had much, if any experience living with a feathered neighbor, so we hope we can inform you a little more about Kiwi as an individual.

We bought Kiwi in 2008 and he has been trained to live in a small apartment setting since the day we brought him home. Kiwi has been potty trained, cannot fly, has always been a quiet individual and is strongly bonded to us. He is highly intelligent (his species can reach the mental capacity of a 3-4 year old child!) and we do continuing ‘advanced’ skills/trick-training sessions with him a couple times a week. He is also a very social and adventurous little bird who enjoys going for walks and day trips in his specialized carrier (see below). When we lived in another state, we lived with him in a studio and 1 bedroom apartment with no complaints. We have been renting a basement apartment in a residential home for over 2 years. Our current landlords have provided a short letter about their experience living with him in their house and said you can feel free to contact them with any questions.

Kiwi is quite small compared to more common pets. He weighs under a pound and is only about 12-13” long from head to tip of tail (approx. 8-9” not including tail). We appreciate tidiness and cleanliness wherever we live, and that extends to Kiwi’s cage/area as well. I have attached a few photos so you can see he is quite small, well trained and a much loved companion animal. We appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to meeting you soon!

Warmest regards,

Joe and April ------------

 

[Christinenc2000]

Good Job April . Fingers crossed all goes well for you ! You are such a good Person it has to

 

[Kiwibird]

Yeah, a photograph of him in his cage would be a good idea, because most non-parrot folks don't even GET that they ever come out of their cages... Okay maybe once in awhile... like when you have to clean it or something... but REALLY... EVERYDAY? FOR HOURS AT A TIME?!

Photos of a caged Kiwi are far and few between, most are of him doing something silly. THIS is what Kiwi gets up to in his cage (this is his old cage, but a good example of his cage activities):

(Dear HOA,.... Just check out this little darling! Doesn't he look soooooo pleasant to live around?!)

Bird people 'get; these kind of things are normal and happy activities (and in Kiwi's case, very quiet), non bird people... not so much. His 'cute times' are usually when he's with us. We're hoping if they see he's wearing a hoodie and being loved on and playing with children's toys that he's totally tame and not some wild exotic animal.

 

[LaurieC]

We live in the Portland area. We had a lot of trouble getting in moving up here initially. One place even said they were super excited to have us as renters (credit history and renters history), all we had to do was get rid of our bird and we were in As if he was on par with an unwanted couch or something we would just easily get rid of for the privilege to rent with them We did get a letter from our landlords, a very nice one about how there is no insulation between the floors and he is still very quiet, never hear him at night, comes out with us and is fun to see etc...

BTW- you really have to watch out for those geckos and bearded dragons and newts and frogs! Vicious, vicious animals (noisy and messy too!)

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of prejudice when it comes to "non-standard" pets. It's completely illogical, but there it is. You also don't have to look far to find people who consider pets to be disposable; just take a cruise through Craigslist.

Best of luck to you in securing the condo. I'll be sure to send plenty of good vibes your way. Hopefully you'll soon be planning a house-warming party.

And yes, rampaging packs of Blue-tongued skinks have been the death of many an unsuspecting citizen. Merciless little devils.

 

[lplummer52]

We lived in an over 55 condo community with a YNA who would yell, "Help, help!" In an old ladie's voice (probably from that TV commercial where she's fallen and can"t get up.). Luckily, my husband was President of the HOA and he and the bird were very popular among the residents. That bird was the most entertaining pet I've ever had. I could tell stories that would make you LOL. RIP Kermit....we'll always remember you w/a smile.

 

[RavensGryf]

Good luck and all the best with everything going smoothly April, you really deserve it .

 

[Kiwibird]

So Kiwi was approved! Of course we have to abide by the HOA rules regarding noise, but he's allowed! Kiwi is very quiet so I foresee no issues. If he were a nuisance, we would have had complaints in the past (especially in our apartment before this with paper thin walls).

 

[Allee]

I'm so happy for you, April! Congratulations, looking forward to hearing about your new home!

 

[SailBoat]

A big win for Kiwi!

Once you are moved in and kind of settled, it will be time to develop a Kiwi's Fan Club!

 

[Kiwibird]

A big win for Kiwi!

Once you are moved in and kind of settled, it will be time to develop a Kiwi's Fan Club!

Indeed! He always seems to develop one no matter where we go

 

[Kiwibird]

I'm so happy for you, April! Congratulations, looking forward to hearing about your new home!

Thanks.

I'll probably be fairly sparse on the forums in the upcoming weeks, but we'll share more once everything is settled down

 

[Scott]

Congratulations April! So happy the request was approved!!

I assume you have (or will have) a properly written document that is specific and binding? Just to cover yourself should a neighbor or future HOA board raise unreasonable objections??

 

[Mariar]

I own sugar gliders...like a lot of them...I rescue in my area...and I was actually denied at a few places becuz the mangement thought those little animals carried weird deseases. So uneducated! I'm happy for you!!!

 

[Kiwibird]

Congratulations April! So happy the request was approved!!

I assume you have (or will have) a properly written document that is specific and binding? Just to cover yourself should a neighbor or future HOA board raise unreasonable objections??

Thanks!

You actually had to submit a registration application and upon approval they send back an approval letter for your records to prove the pet was pre-approved by the board in accordance to their rules and had been formally registered with them (it is their policy for all pets).

 

[RavensGryf]

Yay for the happy news April . Now you can focus your energy elsewhere now that that's settled. I wish you nothing but the best! I can't wait til we hear all about it . ...oh and the "new additions" that we're all still waiting for :54:

 

[Kiwibird]

Yay for the happy news April . Now you can focus your energy elsewhere now that that's settled. I wish you nothing but the best! I can't wait til we hear all about it . ...oh and the "new additions" that we're all still waiting for :54:

Thank. Sadly, no new additions. You are only allowed 1 pet per condo (though I could try to argue the case for Kiwi being a winged toddler, not a pet. He is starting to identify shapes now:21. It's actually a really good thing I never got that all set up, or I'd likely be rehoming them all as I would not be quite as attached as I am to my, ahem, "purely decorative" vivarium and terrarium

BTW- I was going to set up a species specific aquarium with several varieties of corydoras (which are the cutest fish I've ever seen!). But that'll have to wait a few years until we're out of this condo. I'm keeping the aquarium and equipment I bought and will just stick it all in storage since it is all brand new still in the packaging. Sigh...

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow, I'm surprised at 1, ONE pet! Even a modest size aquarium counts as 1.

I can see that they have to have rules in place or else some people with no common sense could have a whole zoo in there, but come on, not even 2 animals, that's ridiculous imo. How about Mr. Newt and Leo?

Btw... Cory catfish ARE cute . Too bad for now.

 

[Kiwibird]

Wow, I'm surprised at 1, ONE pet! Even a modest size aquarium counts as 1.

I can see that they have to have rules in place or else some people with no common sense could have a whole zoo in there, but come one, not even 2 animals. How about Mr. Newt and Leo?

Btw... Cory catfish ARE cute . Too bad for now.

All of that is taken care of.

I don't know if they'd care about a smaller aquarium, but they allowed Kiwi and I don't want to push our luck. I'll just stick the tank and stuff in the storage space and set it up in a few years once we buy a house.