What responsibilities does the HOA have concerning pets?
In essence, the HOA only becomes involved in pet issues when they affect the
community as a whole; or the use or upkeep of common grounds and areas.

What are my responsibilities as a pet owner?
Pets can make wonderful, loving companions and provide great comfort to their
owners. When you own pets, you must feed and house them properly, as well as treat them with kindness and respect. Your pets are your responsibility and should not be allowed to interfere in any way with your neighbors or other members of the community. In addition to laws against keeping dangerous pets (poisonous snakes, attack dogs, tigers, etc.), Prince William County laws state that:
   • It is against the law to allow your dog to run at large within the County unless engaged in supervised, formal obedience training classes, or show, or during formally sanctioned field trials, or while engaged in lawful hunting during open hunting season. (Section 4-23). (Otherwise known as the Leash Law.)
   • It is against the law to allow your animal to knowingly and willfully urinate or
defecate on private property of other persons or on publicly owned property. It
shall not be unlawful if the animal owner removes the animal’s excrement
immediately and disposes of it (Section 4-11). (Otherwise known as the
"Pooper Scooper" law.)
   • It is against the law to allow your animal to trespass on someone’s property
after being requested by the owner of the property not to trespass (Section 4-
4).

For more information, contact the Animal Control Bureau at 703-792-6465 or visit the Police Department website at www.pwcgov.org/police.

What should I do if I have a complaint about a neighbor’s pet?
First, you should speak directly with your neighbor, discuss how the pet is impacting your life, and attempt to reach a mutually agreeable solution. If this does not succeed, contact the Animal Control Bureau at 703-792-6465 for further options.

Except for barking, my dog does not interfere with my neighbors, but they still complain! What should I do?
In addition to the laws cited above, the county has laws and regulations regarding noisy animals. For more details, please contact the Animal Control Bureau at 703-792-6465.