separating 2 beagles, litter mates, 2 yeard old

Question
Hello
I am hoping you can help us with an issue we never thought we would have to deal with. We have 2 wonderful 2.5 year old beagles who we rescued at 5 months old. They are litter mates. Our condo association has pet by-laws (1 pet per unit not exceeding 25 lbs)and for the past 2 years, those by-laws have never been enforced...until now. We have been told that we need to come into compliance. My parents have agreed to take our female until we sell our unit (and that could be a looooong time in this economy). Aside from my guilt and anxiety about this....how do we help our 2 wonderful beagles get through this? My parents live 30 min. away and they will see each other a lot...but my worry is all day by themselves, where as before they had each other all day.

Answer
Being "told" you need to "come into compliance" is the first step in a VERY LONG process.  Your dogs have been tolerated for quite a while; there may be legal precedence that the association will have to honor.  DO NOT be so quick to be INTIMIDATED.  I have a client who was in this same position in NYC; he fought it and he won.  If I were in your shoes, I would find a lawyer associated with the local humane society (i.e., dog friendly and knowledgeable about how to litigate sudden change in status) and fight for my rights.  It will take at least months for this to go into litigation, and meanwhile you very well might sell your condo!  It's worth a try.  A letter is just a piece of paper; until a JUDGE signs off on a court document, you have no reason to act.

Meanwhile, even though it could be months away, you can prepare these dogs to be separated by bringing the female to your parents' home for one day each weekend.  Dogs are very easily habituated to change, providing the people they live with are calm, patient, and consistently and fairly loving.  Go visit them one day each weekend and leave the female there for a few hours, then go pick her up; after a couple of weeks, leave her overnight, then after a few more weeks, leave her for the weekend.  Both dogs will make the adjustment.  Maintain contact between them every single weekend while they are separated as you sell your condo in order to attempt to maintain their relationship.  And next time you buy: GET IT IN WRITING.