[§514B-156]  Pets.  (a)  Any unit owner who keeps a pet in the owner's unit pursuant to a provision in the bylaws which allows owners to keep pets or in the absence of any provision in the bylaws to the contrary, upon the death of the animal, may replace the animal with another and continue to do so for as long as the owner continues to reside in the owner's unit or another unit subject to the same bylaws.

     (b)  Any unit owner who is keeping a pet pursuant to subsection (a), as of the effective date of an amendment to the bylaws which prohibits owners from keeping pets in their units, shall not be subject to the prohibition but shall be entitled to keep the pet and acquire new pets as provided in subsection (a).

     (c)  The bylaws may include reasonable restrictions or prohibitions against excessive noise or other problems caused by pets on the property and the running of pets at large in the common areas of the property.  No animals described as pests under section 150A-2, or animals prohibited from importation under section 141-2, 150A-5, or 150A-6 shall be permitted.

     (d)  Whenever the bylaws do not prohibit unit owners from keeping animals as pets in their units, the bylaws shall not prohibit the tenants of the unit owners from keeping pets in the units rented or leased from the owners; provided that:

     (1)  A unit owner consents in writing to allow the unit owner's tenant to keep a pet in the unit; [and]

     (2)  A tenant keeps only those types of pets that may be kept by unit owners.

The bylaws may allow each owner or tenant to keep only one pet in the unit.

     (e)  Any amendments to the bylaws that provide for exceptions to pet restrictions or prohibitions for preexisting circumstances shall apply equally to unit owners and tenants.

     (f)  Nothing in this section shall prevent an association from immediately acting to remove vicious animals to protect persons or property. [L 2004, c 164, pt of §2; am L 2005, c 93, §7]