Why the Dog Rules Edit page

We Need Dog Rules

The Board took quite some time to establish a rule about dogs, as residents often argued in the streets over dogs soiling their lawns. Tensions nearly escalated into physical confrontations, and in some instances, the police had to intervene. Dog owners consistently responded by saying, "There is no rule against it."

Another common sight was coming out of your home in the morning and seeing a dog walker watching their dog peeing on your mailbox. “There’s no rule against it”.

It was frequently observed that homeowners, while sitting outside their residences, encountered dog walkers who permitted their dogs to relieve themselves on the grass strip in front of the property. When residents voiced concerns, they were often informed that "there is no rule against it." 

We had to secure the tennis courts because people were treating them as dog parks. Similarly, we had to ask individuals to leave the bocce and shuffleboard courts since they were using those areas to let their dogs run. Some dog walkers kept to the sidewalks but used long zip lines, so their dogs wandered freely onto homeowners' private property. The grass strips throughout our community appeared burnt from frequent dog urine. The situation with the dogs was becoming unmanageable.

One resident repeatedly refused to stop soiling other people's property and requested an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). During the ADR, he agreed to cease this behavior if the board accepted certain conditions. The board agreed; however, after two weeks, the resident resumed soiling other people’s property. When questioned, he responded that he had changed his mind about the agreement. This incident resulted in a $300 expense for the ADR from the Homeowners Association. Before the board could fine him, his dog passed away.

According to our lawyer and the Township, homeowners are responsible for maintaining and repairing the grass strips and sidewalks. This means that if a dog walker doesn't clean up their dog's waste, the responsibility falls on the homeowner.

In early summer 2019, the board from Sunrise Bay—including Joe Ciccone, President, Jim Hughes, Vice President, Marty Hochman, Treasurer, Bobbie Jo Rasberger, Secretary, Don Rasile Trustee and Barbara Drummond met with Mr. Karl Held, the Township code enforcement officer from Little Egg Harbor. During this meeting, Mr. Held clarified that the Township does not intend to dictate how Sunrise Bay manages its community. He further stated that Sunrise Bay is entitled to implement any dog-related regulations it deems appropriate, provided those rules are at least as stringent as the Township's existing dog ordinance.

At the HOA meeting on August 5th, 2019, Barbara Drummond called for a vote on the new dog rule in front of a packed house of homeowners who were frustrated with ongoing dog issues and the lack of their rights. The homeowners voted "YES" overwhelmingly for the new rule, which the Board then approved.

The dog rule has provided homeowners with a vital ability to raise concerns about dog-related problems, ensuring that these issues will be addressed by The Board of Trustees.

Since the adoption of the dog rule, the Sunrise Bay Association has never received any code violations from the Little Egg Harbor Township, nor has any individual been instructed to walk their dog in the street.  

More details can be found on our Sunrise Bay website.