Renting with a Pit Bull...One BIG Pain!

I am a renter and a pit bull owner. My life is hard. I have recently been looking to move and it is the most frustrating thing I have ever had to do. I am a poor student, but I pay my bills on time, I always get my deposit back, my credit is perfect, but why am I constantly being denied apartments? Because I have a dog with short hair and a box head. I have a cute, silly, house-broken, groomed, pit bull. I have probably called 25 to 30 places recently to ask about their dog policies, and they all say NO PIT BULLS. Why? I asked, they all say, "hey, I personally like the breed, I have no problem with pitties." or "I love them, I own one!" "Its not me personally, its the insurance company we have."

Why the hell dont these pit lovers do something about it? Why would they work for a company that discriminates against their dogs? This completely baffles me. I called the Vue Apartments and the woman on the phone told me that if my dog even remotely resembles a pit bull, they would throw me out. I always keep my cool, say thank you, and move on. I dont want people to think any less of us pittie owners than they already do, but I lost it... "Really?" I replied. "Do you think that I am going to have a fighting ring or puppy mill in the 400 square foot 11th floor studio?" AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I just want to scream! My dog is a DOG! She is a CGC, I obey all leash laws, I clean up after her, what is the difference between her and a great dane when comparing apartment wear and tear? Nothing.

My friend is also looking to move and she told me that she really wants a pygmy pig. Why? I dont have a clue...So I asked her to call a few places that I called and got rejected. They all said a pygmy pig was ok with a pet deposit. What kind of world is this? Who makes these rules up?

I started doing some research, and I think that these insurance companies have their rules completely backwards. They pay more money each year in claims for break-ins and theft than dog bites. I think not only should they stop breed restrictions, I think that I should get a discount for owning a pittie. People are less likely to break in with large dogs on the premises. The AKC made a formal statement regarding this issue, they say "The American Kennel Club believes that coverage should be determined by the dog’s deeds, rather than its breed. If the dog is a well-behaved member of the household and community, there is no reason to cancel or deny coverage, or mandate a higher insurance policy. In fact, insurance companies should consider a dog an asset- a natural alarm system whose bark may deter intruders and prevent potential theft. " (www.akc.org/news).

When insurance companies ban breeds, they create a much larger problem for the dogs who's owners can no longer keep them. They get dumped on shelters and rescues, they get dumped on the streets, and most of them are put to sleep. I really believe that if we want more pitties out of the shelter, we need to create more available homes for them. Pitties do just fine in apartments if they are exercised. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard "I would love to foster, but my apartment will not let me have a pit bull."

This needs to change. I feel like I am being discriminated on because of my dog. I am forced to settle for crappy apartments in crappy neighborhoods. This is not fair. What can be done?