Not just often, but even IN buildings that ALLOW pets there are almost always breed restrictions. In our former condo the only thing which wasn't restricted was size and in Fort Lauderdale that is unusual for condos.

My condo docs are actually contradictory on the question of pets: in one place, they say one pet only, under 35lbs; and in another place they say it's at the discretion of the Board. We have made many exceptions.

I say this only to underscore yet again the importance of reading the docs and bylaws. They look like boilerplate, but never assume they won't affect you.

And then there are the problems that arise when someone breaks the rules and:

nobody seems to care and that makes people angry

people report rule-breakers anonymously and the "Big Brother" mentality starts to kick in

Dukey, your post makes me want to point out what might be obvious: every condo complex has its own ethos, above and beyond The Rules. Do they enforce every little thing with fines? Do they communicate effectively? Does the Board serve to improve conditions for all, or are they a bunch of petty tyrants? This is what makes me nervous about buying another condo, trying to get a grip on the intangibles.