Discrimination and "Breedism"

Responsible Pit Bull owners, as well as the owners of other "high risk" breeds often fall prey to what some are calling "Breedism."  It's like racism in that even good dogs are grouped in with a few bad ones, just because of the way they look.  It can affect the availability of housing and insurance, can cause unwarranted neighborhood strife, and sometimes result in harm to dogs or even their owners. 

Several insurance companies have begun either not providing service to owners of "dangerous" breeds, or charging them an excessive amount over owners of, say, a lab or a poodle.  There are still many companies that do not discriminate whatsoever, the only exception normally being a trained "attack dog," or a dog with a bite history.  Companies who have such policies truly address what identifies a potentially expensive payout.  The poster below (click to enlarge) shows a few companies who do not discriminate against any breeds.
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Besides the limitations on insurance, an owner of a "dangerous breed"  may also deal with limitations on housing!  Many apartment complexes, housing associations, developments, mobile home parks, and even entire towns have either banned the breeds entirely, or have placed such stringent laws and policies upon the owners, that it becomes too expensive or time-consuming to own any "dangerous" dog breed.  Owners of these breeds who may need to move for any of numerous reasons often find that when they look for housing, they will likely have to give up their dog of many years just to have an inexpensive place to live in a good area.

Locating Pit Bull Friendly Housing

Most, if not all, apartment complexes run by a company have banned pit bulls (and other "dangerous" breeds) from living there.  It gets worse in government or state run housing.   If you cannot locate a pit bull friendly rental, try looking in the classifieds or on Craigslist.org.  A lot of the posters are private renters, and may be willing to make an exception when they meet your dog in person.  Or, they may be more willing to rent to you if you have renters insurance that covers your dog, or if you pay a larger deposit, or more money each month.   Finding a rental that allows pit bulls is a challenge, but at no point should you lie about your dog's breed, as this can reflect badly on pit bull owners, and often turns out badly in the future.