Definitions

The law in force where the residence operates; the standard runs above it and is read subject to fair-housing, assistance-animal, and tenancy law.

An animal a resident relies upon by reason of disability, governed by law, not by this standard, and exempt from its pet terms.

The evaluation of a residence against the standard's criteria; only a Roch or Roch-licensed assessment can lead to certification.

An illustrative medium-to-large companion dog of the Labrador type, used to test whether a size or breed limit is arbitrary.

Any rule limiting dogs by breed, type, size, or weight, conformant only if required by law or specifically justified for one home.

A restriction applied across the board without individual assessment, such as 'no dogs' or 'no dogs over 20kg' regardless of behaviour.

The permitted way to reference the standard without certification, describing an intention to meet it, requiring no permission and using no mark.

The shared parts of a residential building used by residents in common, such as lobbies, corridors, lifts, gardens, and amenity rooms.

A homeowners association, condominium, strata, or co-operative board that sets rules binding on residents, including dog rules.

The decision rule that dog decisions are made against published criteria and applied consistently to comparable cases.

A persistent condition in or around the home causing ongoing distress to a dog or its neighbours, which the standard requires to be mitigated.

The route to raise a concern that a certified provider is failing the standard, and the basis for Roch to review or withdraw certification.

The mechanism by which a provider obeys local law and clearly discloses any legal or contractual constraint that limits the standard.

Formal recognition by Roch that a residence met the standard's requirements at assessment, not a quality rating or a ranking.

One of three states a residence holds: Certified, Not Yet Certified, or Not Assessed, the default carrying no implication.

The trademarked badge denoting a residence is Roch Dog Residence Certified, usable only by a residence holding current certification.

A long-term home that supports successful dog tenancies through consistent policy, no breed or size bans, fair charges, and welfare provision.

Any charge a resident pays because they keep a dog: damage deposit, pet rent, non-refundable fee, or penalty.

A refundable sum held against dog damage and returned in full where none occurs, with assistance and service animals exempt.

The principle that a new or changed dog rule does not apply retroactively to a dog already living in the home.

The people who live together in one home, and any dog kept there, regardless of who is the tenant or owner.

The private dwelling unit a resident occupies, as distinct from common areas, the wider development, and staff-only space.

Any landlord, operator, or governing body that sets the terms on which dogs may be kept in a home occupied long-term.

A one-off charge that is not returned, conformant only as a small, defined, cost-reflective administrative amount.

Any dog-related charge materially higher than its genuine cost, or structured to discourage dog ownership rather than recover real cost.

A written statement of the terms on which dogs are kept, given to residents and readily accessible before the point of commitment.

The moment a person becomes legally bound to a home, such as signing a tenancy, before any non-refundable fee is taken.

A recurring charge added to rent for a dog, conformant only if reasonable, cost-reflective, disclosed, and within any legal cap.

A charge for a defined breach of the dog policy, conformant only where the breach is clear and the charge is capped and reasonable.

The model where each requirement is either met or not met, with no partial credit, expressed overall as a certification status.

A tenant or owner-occupier and their household who live in a home on a long-term basis, together with the dog kept there.

Specific, proportionate, justified conditions a provider may attach to keeping a dog, as opposed to barriers to keeping any dog at all.

A refusal of a specific dog on specific, documented grounds such as an unsuitable home, a binding covenant, or proven behavioural risk.

The housing environment's support for a dog to relieve itself and exercise, through a safe, suitable place and practical rules.

A provider's own claim that a property is built to or aligned with the standard, clearly labelled and evidence-backed, never a certified claim.

The standard's nature: a voluntary, openly published standard anyone may read, adopt, cite, and teach free of charge, with Roch as steward.

The guiding principle that a residence should support successful dog tenancies, not merely allow dogs grudgingly.

The baseline conditions a dog needs to live well in a home and its common areas: safety, daily relief, safe movement, and stressor mitigation.