Michael Colyer lost his cool with his condominium board's president, so now the condo association wants a judge to order him to get lost when it comes to future meetings.

What began as an outburst over pet policies has escalated into a lawsuit pitting neighbors against each other at Sunrise East Condominium, a 19-story Fort Lauderdale building near Sunrise Boulevard and A1A. The condo association is asking Broward Circuit Judge Cheryl Alemán to issue a restraining order barring Colyer, 62, from board meetings as well as other condo functions.

The litigation has left Colyer and his wife Cynthia, who is a board member, dumbfounded. Michael Colyer acknowledges he yelled and cursed at the Aug. 19 meeting, but says he was frustrated because board members seemed indifferent to his concerns about two ill-tempered schnauzers in the building.

"I have no ill will toward any of [the board members]," Colyer said. "I made no threat to anyone at any time ... certainly no physical threat."

Colyer wanted the building to form a pet committee, one that could address the two dogs he says attacked his 10-pound Shih Tzu, Sami, in June. When board president Irwin Cohen wanted to postpone discussion of the proposal, Colyer had his outburst.

In a sworn affidavit, Cohen described Colyer as becoming so "enraged" that the meeting was adjourned. "I clearly felt threatened and expected him to strike me," Cohen wrote.

Neither Cohen nor the association's attorney, Scott Shapiro, could be reached for comment.

Six other residents also gave sworn affidavits describing Colyer's behavior as aggressive and hostile. Resident Richard Oransky wrote that "Mr. Colyer used the F-word continually, even though there were ladies present. It was very embarrassing."

Colyer and his wife said the Sept. 3 lawsuit came without warning.

Sunrise East resident Bob Mandell said Colyer was "out of control" at the meeting, but that one of the schnauzers poses a real threat. Mandell said the dog bit his finger a few years ago when it attacked his 10-pound Pomeranian.

"I don't agree with [Colyer's] actions, but I don't agree with the board's actions," Mandell said. "I think the punishment is way beyond the crime."