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Pets and Animals

Animals can play important and valuable roles in a sustainable living environment. At One Community, we view animals primarily as working, ecological, educational, and stewardship-focused members of our environment rather than unrestricted personal pets.

Our goal for the property is to create a healthy balance between human needs, food production systems, environmental stewardship, animal welfare, and community living. We’ll have rabbits, goats, sheep, and chickens, along with the abundance of wildlife already on the property. The following pet guidelines are designed to support them and this balance.

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DOGS

As our community develops, we plan to add one or two working dogs to support the community. These dogs may assist with security, livestock protection, wildlife deterrence, farm operations, and other community-support functions.

Potential breeds may include Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, or other breeds selected for their suitability to the specific work required.

These dogs will be community animals selected and approved through our consensus decision-making process and cared for as part of the broader community environment.

Personal dogs are not currently permitted. This policy helps maintain consistency in animal management, supports our shared-living model, and minimizes disruptions within community spaces.

Because of the unique design and operational requirements of our community, we may not be able to accommodate all service, support, or assistance animals. Applicants with such needs are encouraged to discuss them during the application process so compatibility can be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

All dogs residing on the property must be spayed or neutered unless a community-approved exception is granted.

 

CATS

Cats play an important role in our integrated pest management strategy and help support healthy food production, storage, and agricultural systems.

We plan to start with four cats on the property, including:

  • One cat primarily residing near the kitchen and food storage areas and functioning as an indoor cat.
  • Three outdoor cats serving as working animals that help manage rodents and other pests throughout the property.

We will investigate all applicable health department and commercial kitchen requirements regarding cats and food preparation areas. If regulations allow, the indoor cat will have access to designated food storage and support areas to assist with pest prevention.

Additional outdoor cats may be considered if they provide a clear benefit to our pest-management goals.

All cats residing on the property must be spayed or neutered.

 

RESIDENT-OWNED FARM ANIMALS

To protect the health of existing animals and maintain a stable agricultural environment, residents may not bring farm animals onto the property without prior community approval.

Introducing animals from outside sources can create challenges related to quarantine requirements, disease transmission, parasite exposure, immunity differences, and overall herd or flock health.

Any future additions of farm animals will be evaluated according to community needs, animal health considerations, and appropriate quarantine protocols.

 

PERSONAL PETS

All pets must be approved before joining the community.

At this time, the only personal pets permitted are animals that remain fully contained within a terrarium, aquarium, cage, or similar enclosure. Examples may include fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, and other small contained animals.

Residents are responsible for all care, feeding, cleaning, housing, veterinary expenses, and other costs associated with their pets.

Other than the exceptions stated above, the following apply to support compatibility with community living:

  • Pets must remain fully contained at all times.
  • No free-roaming pets are permitted indoors, outdoors, or in shared community spaces.
  • Pets may not require maintenance, labor, financial support, or resources from other community members unless specifically agreed upon in advance.

 

PEST AND FEED MANAGEMENT

We use a combination of responsible storage practices and natural pest management strategies to minimize rodents and other unwanted pests.

This includes:

  • Storing chicken feed and other animal feeds in rodent-resistant containers.
  • Using pest-resistant food storage systems whenever possible.
  • Utilizing working cats as the primary biological pest-control system for outdoor areas.

 

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Residents caring for cats or other approved animals are expected to use environmentally responsible waste-management practices whenever possible.

Whenever suitable alternatives are available, recyclable, compostable, or otherwise eco-friendly cat litter products should be used to minimize environmental impact and support our sustainability goals.

 

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

As our community grows and evolves, these guidelines may also evolve.

Any exceptions to these policies must be approved through the community decision-making process.

Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in the removal of an animal from the property and may be considered when evaluating compatibility with community living.

 

RESOURCES

 

FREQUENTLY ANSWERED QUESTIONS

Q: Is there any possibility of an exception to these policies for my pet?

No exceptions outside of what’s described above are currently being considered.

Q: Do you think it is likely that these policies will change?

We’ve discussed this issue sufficiently to believe that these policies will be permanent.

Q: What if I really want to be a part of world change but I don’t agree with these policies?

We expect other communities will follow with different views on these issues and we will happily be promoting their success if they are part of the open source and free-sharing network of teacher/demonstration communities, villages, and cities that we are helping to create. Here are the best ways to follow our progress and learn about them as they develop:

Better yet, the point of One Community is to build living blueprints open source so everyone can then use them for duplication. If you feel like you’d like to see a different version of One Community, we invite you to embrace the task of using everything we’ve already created to form another iteration of this idea, with a new set of rules/policies/guidelines, and attract to this idea the people who share your values and thus like your rule sets. In so doing, you’ll be creating another ‘for The Highest Good of All‘ option with a potentially totally different approach.

 

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