A Change.org petition was recently created to attempt to stop breed-specific restrictions in West Virginia. If you are interested in this issue, I highly suggest you take a moment and go sign it! It could save the lives of countless dogs.
Title: "Stop Breed Insurance Regulation to Keep Pets out of Shelters and in Homes"
Petition: Up to 99% of pit bulls surrendered to shelters are killed. Part of the problem is that homeowners are finding it more and more difficult to obtain homeowners’ insurance that accepts their breed of dogs. In recent years, several insurance companies have blacklisted dog breeds they consider dangerous, making it all but impossible for dog owners to get the insurance they need to protect their home.
These policies break up families, send pit bulls and similar dogs to shelters in droves and put serious financial strain on shelter resources. It is time for West Virginia to join Pennsylvania and Michigan in prohibiting breed-specific insurance exclusions (BSIE), so we can stop the needless separation of families and the eventual euthanasia of innocent dogs.
Every year, statewide rescue centers take in homeless pit bulls in danger of being euthanized at shelters. Many of these dogs were surrendered when their owners faced the heart-breaking decision of giving up a beloved family member in order to keep a roof over their children’s heads. Too many children have cried, heartbroken, as their parents rip them away from their favorite companions. Even grown men have broken down because they can no longer keep their best friend.
I know the feeling. My fiance and I have a pit bull. Bella Jane is part of our family, and the thought of having to get rid of her simply so we can improve our living situation breaks my heart. We have now been looking for months, and every time we find a great apartment, we are faced with a devastating decision: keep Bella and forgo the apartment, or give her up and live in the home of our dreams? It’s a decision we have yet been able to make, and I hope we never have to. That’s why banning BSIE is so important to me and other dog owners around the state of West Virginia.
There are better ways to minimize insurance risk than forcing families to give up their dogs. If insurance companies want to reduce risk they should require dog owners and their pets to go through obedience training or provide proof of Canine Good Citizen certification. Requiring homeowners to show such proof, rather than denying them coverage outright, reduces the chance of dog bites and liability for all parties involved while keeping dog owners in their homes and dogs out of shelters.
Pennsylvania and Michigan have protected homeowners and their dogs from discrimination while also ensuring that insurance companies don’t face an unfair burden. It is time for West Virginia to do the same by creating legislation that prohibits breed specific insurance blacklists. Help us keep families in their homes and dogs from being euthanized, and tell West Virginia legislators to ban breed-specific insurance policies.
Title: "Stop Breed Insurance Regulation to Keep Pets out of Shelters and in Homes"
Petition: Up to 99% of pit bulls surrendered to shelters are killed. Part of the problem is that homeowners are finding it more and more difficult to obtain homeowners’ insurance that accepts their breed of dogs. In recent years, several insurance companies have blacklisted dog breeds they consider dangerous, making it all but impossible for dog owners to get the insurance they need to protect their home.
These policies break up families, send pit bulls and similar dogs to shelters in droves and put serious financial strain on shelter resources. It is time for West Virginia to join Pennsylvania and Michigan in prohibiting breed-specific insurance exclusions (BSIE), so we can stop the needless separation of families and the eventual euthanasia of innocent dogs.
Every year, statewide rescue centers take in homeless pit bulls in danger of being euthanized at shelters. Many of these dogs were surrendered when their owners faced the heart-breaking decision of giving up a beloved family member in order to keep a roof over their children’s heads. Too many children have cried, heartbroken, as their parents rip them away from their favorite companions. Even grown men have broken down because they can no longer keep their best friend.
I know the feeling. My fiance and I have a pit bull. Bella Jane is part of our family, and the thought of having to get rid of her simply so we can improve our living situation breaks my heart. We have now been looking for months, and every time we find a great apartment, we are faced with a devastating decision: keep Bella and forgo the apartment, or give her up and live in the home of our dreams? It’s a decision we have yet been able to make, and I hope we never have to. That’s why banning BSIE is so important to me and other dog owners around the state of West Virginia.
There are better ways to minimize insurance risk than forcing families to give up their dogs. If insurance companies want to reduce risk they should require dog owners and their pets to go through obedience training or provide proof of Canine Good Citizen certification. Requiring homeowners to show such proof, rather than denying them coverage outright, reduces the chance of dog bites and liability for all parties involved while keeping dog owners in their homes and dogs out of shelters.
Pennsylvania and Michigan have protected homeowners and their dogs from discrimination while also ensuring that insurance companies don’t face an unfair burden. It is time for West Virginia to do the same by creating legislation that prohibits breed specific insurance blacklists. Help us keep families in their homes and dogs from being euthanized, and tell West Virginia legislators to ban breed-specific insurance policies.